Tonight’s O Antiphon is “O Oriens.” The Latin word “Oriens” literally means “Dawn,” “Rising Sun,” or “East.” The “O Oriens” prophesy comes from Isaiah 9:1-7, Holman Hunt,Christ the Light of the World (1854) But there will be no gloom for her that was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zeb’ulun and the land of Naph’tali,… Continue reading Day 5: O Oriens (O Rising Sun)
Tag: Jesus
Day 4: O Clavis David (O Key of David)
Tonight’s O Antiphon is “O Clavis David,” which means “O Key of David.” It’s a reference to Isaiah 22:19-23, and the rise and fall of a man named Eliakim. In this passage, God removes Shebna from his position of power as Master of the Palace, replacing him with Eliakim: Peter Paul Reubens, St. Peter (1612) I… Continue reading Day 4: O Clavis David (O Key of David)
Day 3: O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse)
Tonight’s O Antiphon is “O Radix Jesse,” which means “O Root (or Shoot, or Flower) of Jesse.” In other words, the Messiah will come from Jesse’s lineage. We hear this title for the Messiah in Isaiah 11:10: “In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his… Continue reading Day 3: O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse)
Day 2: O Adonai (O Lord)
Tonight’s O Antiphon is “O Adonai,” which means “O Lord,” and is one of the Divine titles used in the Old Testament. Because the name YHWH was considered too sacred to even speak, pious Jews would often replace the Name with Adonai, meaning Lord, instead. In Isaiah 33:22, the prophet Isaiah says: For the Lord is our judge,the Lord… Continue reading Day 2: O Adonai (O Lord)
Day 1: O Sapientia (O Wisdom)
Tonight’s O Antiphon is “O Sapientia,” which means “O Wisdom.” All of the first three O Antiphons are tied to the Messianic prophesy in Isaiah 11:1-5. I’ve bolded the relevant part for today’s Antiphon: Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, And a branch from his roots will bear fruit. The Spirit of the… Continue reading Day 1: O Sapientia (O Wisdom)
The Key to Understanding Pope Francis’ Pastoral Approach
“Love It, Learn It, Live It.” That’s the slogan my archbishop, Archbishop Joseph Naumann, chose for the Faith Initiative for the Year for Faith. I was initially surprised by the ordering, since it seemed to me that it would be more logical to put “Learn it” first. Apparently, I wasn’t alone: one of the priests… Continue reading The Key to Understanding Pope Francis’ Pastoral Approach
More Numerous Than the Hairs of My Head? A Reflection on Sin and Its Consequences
I. King David Julia Margaret Cameron, Study of King David (1866). The photograph depicts Sir Henry Taylor as David In Psalm 40:11-12, King David confesses that his sins are greater than the number of hairs on his head, as he cries out to God for help: Do not thou, O Lord, withhold thy mercy from… Continue reading More Numerous Than the Hairs of My Head? A Reflection on Sin and Its Consequences
How the NSA Wiretapping Scandal Reveals God’s Immanence and Transcendence
A while back, I was in an Eastern Orthodox church that had two large depictions of Jesus. The first was an enormous depiction on the ceiling, showing Christ in glory. The second was along the back wall, behind the altar: it was a depiction of the Virgin Mary with the Christ Child in her womb.… Continue reading How the NSA Wiretapping Scandal Reveals God’s Immanence and Transcendence
Ten Great Quotes from Pope Francis
Pope Francis is a gifted orator, and an effective evangelist, proclaiming the Gospel from the world’s largest pulpit. In the short time that he’s been pope, he’s had a lot to say. Today, I want to highly ten quotations from Pope Francis that you might have missed. These are taken from ten different occasions, on… Continue reading Ten Great Quotes from Pope Francis
Jesus, Remember Me: The Good Thief and the Eucharist
At the Last Supper, Jesus instituted the Eucharist, and called us to “Do this in remembrance of Me.” Here’s how St. Paul records the account : For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks,… Continue reading Jesus, Remember Me: The Good Thief and the Eucharist