The O Antiphons and Prayers to accompany them

These “O” antiphons express the theology of Advent and are the season’s brightest jewels. The incarnation of the Son, salvation, the pursuit of our redemption until the end of time — these are the constant themes of Advent theology. From them we can see that the celebration of Advent, like that of Christmas, has its true center in the paschal mystery, wherein the death and resurrection of Christ accomplishes our salvation.

December 17 - 1st Antiphon: O WISDOM

O WISDOM, O holy Word of God, you govern all creation with Your strong yet tender care. Come and show Your people the way to salvation.

Prayer: Christ, the Word of the Father, through all the ages You have cared for Your people as a shepherd his flock, as a mother her child, as a potter his clay. Be present to us who cry out for Your compassionate, helping hand. Help us to be faithful to those values which You taught us by Your life and Your love. May we find Your presence in the needs of the poor and abandoned around us. Amen.

Closing Prayer: We come here to call on our God to come to us, to be with us. The title Emmanuel, God-with-us, was given to Christ many centuries ago by the prophet Isaiah. Emmanuel symbolizes God’s great love for us -- so great that God put aside His Divinity and took on our humanity. We pray for our God to draw closer to us as individuals and as members of a community. We assemble before God as representatives of the people of the earth, eager to see peace and justice reign on the face of our troubled world. We pray to the Father, for the coming of the Son, through the working of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

December 18 - 2nd Antiphon: O ADONAI

O LORD OF ISRAEL, who showed Yourself to Moses in the burning bush, who gave him the holy law on Sinai mountain: Come, stretch out Your mighty hand, to set us free.

Prayer: Lord, our God, reveal Yourself to us in the persons, circumstances, and events of each day, especially in those who need our time and talents. Open our eyes to recognize Your workings in all that happens to us; keep us open to Your coming to us in the unusual events and surprises of each day. May the place of our work become “holy ground” for we believe that You are present everywhere. Amen.

Closing Prayer: We come here to call on our God to come to us, to be with us. The title Emmanuel, God-with-us, was given to Christ many centuries ago by the prophet Isaiah. Emmanuel symbolizes God’s great love for us -- so great that God put aside His Divinity and took on our humanity. We pray for our God to draw closer to us as individuals and as members of a community. We assemble before God as representatives of the people of the earth, eager to see peace and justice reign on the face of our troubled world. We pray to the Father, for the coming of the Son, through the working of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

December 19 - 3rd Antiphon: O FLOWER OF JESSE

O FLOWER OF JESSE, You have been raised up as a sign for all peoples; kings stand silent in Your presence; the nations bow down in worship before You. Come, let nothing keep You from coming to our aid.

Prayer: O Christ, living sign of the Father’s love, we adore You as the Center of our lives. You are our model for grace, truth, and living in the light of the Father. Be our strength in times of sorrow and trouble; be our joy in times of sadness; be our light in the darkness of sin and our troubled world. We are in awe of Your holy Presence. May we rejoice and share the signs of Your coming with one another. Amen.

Closing Prayer:  We come here to call on our God to come to us, to be with us. The title Emmanuel, God-with-us, was given to Christ many centuries ago by the prophet Isaiah. Emmanuel symbolizes God’s great love for us -- so great that God put aside His Divinity and took on our humanity. We pray for our God to draw closer to us as individuals and as members of a community. We assemble before God as representatives of the people of the earth, eager to see peace and justice reign on the face of our troubled world. We pray to the Father, for the coming of the Son, through the working of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

December 20 - 4th Antiphon: O KEY OF DAVID

O KEY OF DAVID, O royal Power of Israel controlling at Your will the gate of heaven: Come, break down the prison walls of death for those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death & lead Your captive people into freedom.

Prayer: Christ Jesus, You are the key to the happiness of our hearts. The darkness of sin and the awareness of our weaknesses drag us down, but You have come to lift us up & redeem us. We place all our hope in You who have freed us from sin. Teach us to open the doors of our hearts to You and to one another through awareness of the mystery of Your Presence in others. Lead us into the light of Your love & grace. Amen.

Closing Prayer: We come here to call on our God to come to us, to be with us. The title Emmanuel, God-with-us, was given to Christ many centuries ago by the prophet Isaiah. Emmanuel symbolizes God’s great love for us -- so great that God put aside His Divinity and took on our humanity. We pray for our God to draw closer to us as individuals and as members of a community. We assemble before God as representatives of the people of the earth, eager to see peace and justice reign on the face of our troubled world. We pray to the Father, for the coming of the Son, through the working of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

December 21 - 5th Antiphon: O DAYSPRING

O RISING DAWN, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice: Come, shine on those who dwell in darkness and in the shadow of death.

Prayer: Radiance of the Father, light for our eyes, and guide for our souls, brighten our days by showing us the way to the Father, for You said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” Your life showed us the way to live; Your words spoke of the truth of the Father; Your sufferings and death brought us to new life. May we be radiant with Your joy, as we begin to recognize Your coming to us in one another. We thank You for the gift of Your Body and Blood in the Eucharist which nourishes us and gives us renewed life. Amen.

Closing Prayer: We come here to call on our God to come to us, to be with us. The title Emmanuel, God-with-us, was given to Christ many centuries ago by the prophet Isaiah. Emmanuel symbolizes God’s great love for us -- so great that God put aside His Divinity and took on our humanity. We pray for our God to draw closer to us as individuals and as members of a community. We assemble before God as representatives of the people of the earth, eager to see peace and justice reign on the face of our troubled world. We pray to the Father, for the coming of the Son, through the working of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

December 22 - 6th Antiphon: O KING OF ALL NATIONS

O KING OF ALL NATIONS, the only joy of every human heart: O Keystone of the mighty arch of man. Come and save the creatures you fashioned from the dust.

Prayer: Lord, every nation on earth adores You, for by Your passion, death, and resurrection, You have saved all humanity. Your constant love and friendship reach from the heavens to the ends of the earth. You alone have bridged the deep chasm created by sin; You have protected us from the grasp of the evil one. You are the source of all life; help us to be as one family in You, our God and Savior. Amen.

Closing Prayer: We come here to call on our God to come to us, to be with us. The title Emmanuel, God-with-us, was given to Christ many centuries ago by the prophet Isaiah. Emmanuel symbolizes God’s great love for us -- so great that God put aside His Divinity and took on our humanity. We pray for our God to draw closer to us as individuals and as members of a community. We assemble before God as representatives of the people of the earth, eager to see peace and justice reign on the face of our troubled world. We pray to the Father, for the coming of the Son, through the working of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

December 23 - 7th Antiphon: O EMMANUEL, GOD-WITH-US

O GOD-WITH-US, Emmanuel, king and lawgiver, desire of the nations, Savior of all people, Come and set us free, Lord our God.

Prayer: Jesus, God-with-us, all compassionate and loving God whom we honor and adore, You have unlocked the gates of heaven and cleared the pathway for all humanity to come to You in the glory of the Father. Save us from the chains of sin and darkness. We thank you for the gift of redemption and look forward to the day of Your coming in glory. Amen.

Closing Prayer: We come here to call on our God to come to us, to be with us. The title Emmanuel, God-with-us, was given to Christ many centuries ago by the prophet Isaiah. Emmanuel symbolizes God’s great love for us -- so great that God put aside His Divinity and took on our humanity. We pray for our God to draw closer to us as individuals and as members of a community. We assemble before God as representatives of the people of the earth, eager to see peace and justice reign on the face of our troubled world. We pray to the Father, for the coming of the Son, through the working of the Holy Spirit. Amen.




-- found at Cathedral of St. John, Cleveland, https://saintjohncathedral.com/o-antiphons

Praying the O Antiphons, day 6: December 22- O Rex Gentium (King of All Nations)

To be prayed at Evening Prayer or Vespers before the Magnificat

Questions for meditation: 
How does Jesus model for us inclusion and obligation to all? 
Where do you hear references to the Magnificat in the Antiphon or its scriptural sources?

Antiphon for December 22: 
O King of the Gentiles and Desired of All, You are the Cornerstone that binds two into one: Come, and save humanity whom You have fashioned out of clay.

Then pray the Magnificat:
And Mary said,
My soul overflows with your greatness, O Adonai;
        My spirit rejoices in you, O Savior of All the Nations!
For the light of your countenance has dawned over me
        despite my humble state.
From now and throughout eternity
        even those yet born will call me Blessed
                and sing of the great things you have done for me,
                exulting in the holiness of your Name.
You pour out your mercy on those who stand in awe of you,
        those who revere you, 
                from ages untold to ages yet to come.
Your strong arm shields the humble
        and levels the proud in their isolating conceit.
You have razed the thrones of those who rule by might
        while setting the lowly and gentle upon seats of honor.
You have satisfied the hungry with abundant delights
        while giving the rich a begging bowl, 

                sending them away empty-handed.
You have come to the aid of your people unfailingly
        fulfilling your promises to our ancestors,
                to the children of Hagar, Sarah, and Abraham forever,
                standing among us from time immemorial.

Repeat the antiphon:
O King of the Gentiles and Desired of All, You are the Cornerstone that binds two into one: Come, and save humanity whom You have fashioned out of clay.

Prayer references for the antiphon:
Jeremiah 10:7; Haggai 2:7
Who would not fear you, O King of the nations?
For that is your due;
among all the wise ones of the nations
and in all their kingdoms
there is no one like you. (Jer. 10:7)

and I will shake all the nations, so that the treasure of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with splendour, says the Lord of hosts. (Hag 2:7)

Isaiah 28:16; Matthew 21:42; Ephesians 2:20
therefore thus says the Lord God,
See, I am laying in Zion a foundation stone,
a tested stone,
a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation:
‘One who trusts will not panic.’ (Is 28:16)

Jesus said to them, ‘Have you never read in the scriptures:
“The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
this was the Lord’s doing,
and it is amazing in our eyes”? (Mt 21:42)

...built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. (Eph 2:20)

Genesis 2:7
then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being.

Praying the O Antiphons, day 5- December 21- O Oriens (Dayspring or Morning Star)

To be prayed at Evening Prayer or Vespers before the Magnificat

Questions for meditation: 
How does Jesus serve as a light to guide us or orient us, setting out a path for our own lives?
Where do you hear references to the Magnificat in the Antiphon or its scriptural sources?

Antiphon for December 21: 
O Rising Dawn, Radiance of the Light eternal and Sun of Justice: Come, and enlighten those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.

Then pray the Magnificat:
And Mary said,
My soul overflows with your greatness, O Adonai;
        My spirit rejoices in you, O Savior of All the Nations!
For the light of your countenance has dawned over me
        despite my humble state.
From now and throughout eternity
        even those yet born will call me Blessed
                and sing of the great things you have done for me,
                exulting in the holiness of your Name.
You pour out your mercy on those who stand in awe of you,
        those who revere you,
                from ages untold to ages yet to come.
Your strong arm shields the humble
        and levels the proud in their isolating conceit.
You have razed the thrones of those who rule by might
        while setting the lowly and gentle upon seats of honor.
You have satisfied the hungry with abundant delights
        while giving the rich a begging bowl, 

                sending them away empty-handed.
You have come to the aid of your people unfailingly
        fulfilling your promises to our ancestors,
                to the children of Hagar, Sarah, and Abraham forever,
                standing among us from time immemorial.

Repeat the antiphon:
O Rising Dawn, Radiance of the Light eternal and Sun of Justice: Come, and enlighten those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.




Prayer references for the antiphon:
Jeremiah 23:5; Zechariah 3:8; 6:12:
The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. (Jer 23:5)

Now listen, Joshua, high priest, you and your colleagues who sit before you! For they are an omen of things to come: I am going to bring my servant the Branch. (Zech 3:8)

...say to him: Thus says the Lord of hosts: Here is a man whose name is Branch: for he shall branch out in his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord. (Zech 6:12)

Habakkuk 3:4; Wisdom 7:26; Hebrews 1:3:
The brightness was like the sun;
rays came forth from his hand,
where his power lay hidden. (Hab 3:4)

For she is a reflection of eternal light,
a spotless mirror of the working of God,
and an image of his goodness. (Wisdom 7:26)

He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high… (Heb 1:3)

Malachi 4:2:
But for you who revere my name the sun of righteousness shall rise, with healing in its wings.

Psalm 107:10; Luke 1:78:
Some sat in darkness and in gloom,
prisoners in misery and in irons… (Ps 107:10)

By the tender mercy of our God,
the dawn from on high will break upon us… (Lk 1:7-8)

Praying the O Antiphons, day 4: December 20- O Clavis David (Key of David)

To be prayed at Evening Prayer or Vespers with the Magnificat

Questions for meditation
How does Jesus serve as a key to unlock our understanding of God—and the universal love of God-- in new and radical ways?
Where do you hear references to the Magnificat in the Antiphon or its scriptural sources?

Antiphon
O Key of David, and Scepter of the house of Israel: You open and no man closes; you close and no man opens. Come, and deliver from the chains of darkness those from the chains of prison who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.

Then pray the Magnificat:
And Mary said,
My soul overflows with your greatness, O Adonai;
        My spirit rejoices in you, O Savior of All the Nations!
For the light of your countenance has dawned over me
        despite my humble state.
From now and throughout eternity
        even those yet born will call me Blessed
                and sing of the great things you have done for me,
                exulting in the holiness of your Name.
You pour out your mercy on those who stand in awe of you,
        those who revere you,
                from ages untold to ages yet to come.
Your strong arm shields the humble
        and levels the proud in their isolating conceit.
You have razed the thrones of those who rule by might
        while setting the lowly and gentle upon seats of honor.
You have satisfied the hungry with abundant delights
        while giving the rich a begging bowl, 

        sending them away empty-handed.
You have come to the aid of your people unfailingly
        fulfilling your promises to our ancestors,
                to the children of Hagar, Sarah, and Abraham forever,

                standing among us from time immemorial.

Repeat the antiphon
O Key of David, and Scepter of the house of Israel: You open and no man closes; you close and no man opens. Come, and deliver from the chains of darkness those from the chains of prison who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.



Prayer references for the antiphon:
Isaiah 22:22
I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David; he shall open, and no one shall shut; he shall shut, and no one shall open.

Revelation 3:7
‘And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:
These are the words of the holy one, the true one,
who has the key of David,
who opens and no one will shut,
who shuts and no one opens:

Numbers 24:17
I see him, but not now;
I behold him, but not near—
a star shall come out of Jacob,
and a sceptre shall rise out of Israel;
it shall crush the borderlands* of Moab,
and the territory* of all the Shethites.

Psalm 107:

Some sat in darkness and in gloom,
prisoners in misery and in irons...

Praying the O Antiphons, day 3: December 19- O Radix Jesse (Root/Branch of Jesse)

To be prayed at Evening Prayer or Vespers along with the Magnificat

Question for meditation:

How is Jesus’s descent from the lineage of David (Jesse’s son) expand the Beloved Community beyond national differences or boundaries?
Where do you hear references to the Magnificat in the Antiphon or its scriptural sources?

Antiphon for December 19:
O Root of Jesse, sign for all peoples: before You kings shall keep silence and to You all nations shall have recourse. Come, save us, and do not delay.

Then pray the Magnificat:
And Mary said,
My soul overflows with your greatness, O Adonai;

        My spirit rejoices in you, O Savior of All the Nations!
For the light of your countenance has dawned over me
        despite my humble state.
From now and throughout eternity
        even those yet born will call me Blessed
                and sing of the great things you have done for me,

                exulting in the holiness of your Name.

You pour out your mercy on those who stand in awe of you
        those who revere you,
                from ages untold to ages yet to come.

Your strong arm shields the humble
        and levels the proud in their isolating conceit.
You have razed the thrones of those who rule by might
        while setting the lowly and gentle upon seats of honor.
You have satisfied the hungry with abundant delights
        while giving the rich a begging bowl, 

                sending them away empty-handed.
You have come to the aid of your people unfailingly
        fulfilling your promises to our ancestors,
                to the children of Hagar, Sarah, and Abraham forever,

                standing among us from time immemorial.

Repeat the antiphon:
O Root of Jesse, sign for all peoples: before You kings shall keep silence and to You all nations shall have recourse. Come, save us, and do not delay.



Prayer references for the antiphon:

Isaiah 11:1
A shoot shall come out from the stock of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.

Isaiah 11:10
On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious.

Isaiah 52:15
so he shall startle* many nations; kings shall shut their mouths because of him;for that which had not been told them they shall see, and that which they had not heard they shall contemplate.

Habakkuk 2:3
For there is still a vision for the appointed time; it speaks of the end, and does not lie.If it seems to tarry, wait for it; it will surely come, it will not delay.

Praying the O Antiphons, day 1: December 17- O Sapientia (Wisdom)

To be prayed at Evening Prayer or Vespers with the Magnificat

Question for meditation:
How does Jesus and his ministry embody the Wisdom of God and call us to do likewise?

Antiphon for December 17:
O Wisdom, coming forth from the mouth of the Most High, reaching from one end to the other, mightily and sweetly ordering all things: Come and teach us the way of prudence.

Then pray the Magnificat:
And Mary said,
My soul overflows with your greatness, O Adonai;

        My spirit rejoices in you, O Savior of All the Nations!
For the light of your countenance has dawned over me
        despite my humble state.
From now and throughout eternity
        even those yet born will call me Blessed
                and sing of the great things you have done for me,

                exulting in the holiness of your Name.

You pour out your mercy on those who stand in awe of you
        those who revere you,
                from ages untold to ages yet to come.

Your strong arm shields the humble
        and levels the proud in their isolating conceit.
You have razed the thrones of those who rule by might
        while setting the lowly and gentle upon seats of honor.
You have satisfied the hungry with abundant delights
        while giving the rich a begging bowl, 

        sending them away empty-handed.
You have come to the aid of your people unfailingly
        fulfilling your promises to our ancestors,
                to the children of Hagar, Sarah, and Abraham forever,

                standing among us from time immemorial.

Repeat the antiphon:
O Wisdom, coming forth from the mouth of the Most High, reaching from one end to the other, mightily and sweetly ordering all things: Come and teach us the way of prudence.



Prayer references for the antiphon:
Ecclesiasticus 24:1-3:
“Wisdom praises herself, and tells of her glory in the midst of her people. In the assembly of the Most High she opens her mouth, and in the presence of his hosts she tells of her glory: ‘I came forth from the mouth of the Most High, and covered the earth like a mist.'"

Wisdom of Solomon 8:1:
“She [Wisdom] reaches mightily from one end of the earth to the other,
and she orders all things well.”

Isaiah 40:10-14:
“See, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. He will feed his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep. Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and marked off the heavens with a span, enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance? Who has directed the spirit of the Lord, or as his counsellor has instructed him? Whom did he consult for his enlightenment, and who taught him the path of justice?Who taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding?”

Expansive language Magnificat

 And Mary said,

My soul overflows with your greatness, O Adonai;

        My spirit rejoices in you, O Savior of All the Nations!
For the light of your countenance has dawned over me
        despite my humble state.
From now and throughout eternity
        even those yet born will call me Blessed
                and sing of the great things you have done for me,

                exulting in the holiness of your Name.

You pour out your mercy on those who stand in awe of you
        those who revere you,
                from ages untold to ages yet to come.

Your strong arm shields the humble
        and levels the proud in their isolating conceit.
You have razed the thrones of those who rule by might
        while setting the lowly and gentle upon seats of honor.
You have satisfied the hungry with abundant delights
        while giving the rich a begging bowl, 

        sending them away empty-handed.
You have come to the aid of your people unfailingly
        fulfilling your promises to our ancestors,
                to the children of Hagar, Sarah, and Abraham forever,

                standing among us from time immemorial.

(reimagined LBS)

Magnificat

THIS is Christ's birthday: long ago
He lay upon His Mother's knee,
Who kissed and blessed Him soft and low--
God's gift to her, as you to me.

My baby dear, my little one,
The love that rocks this cradling breast
Is such as Mary gave her Son:
She was more honoured, not more blest.

He smiled as you smile: not more sweet
Than your eyes were those eyes of His,
And just such little hands and feet
As yours Our Lady used to kiss.

The world's desire that Mother bore:
She held a King upon her knee:
O King of all my world, and more
Than all the world's desire to me!

I thank God on the Christmas morn,
For He has given me all things good:
This body which a child has borne,
This breast, made holy for his food.

High in high heaven Our Lady's throne
Beside her Son's stands up apart:
I sit on heaven's steps alone
And hold my king against my heart.

Across dark depths she hears your cry;
She sees your smile, through worlds of blue
Who was a mother, even as I,
And loved her Child, as I love you.

And to her heart my babe is dear,
Because she bore the Babe Divine,
And all my soul to hers draws near,
And loves Him for the sake of mine!

--Edith Nesbit (1858-1924), English poet

Image: Choctaw Madonna and Child, icon, by Fr. John Giuliani

Praying with Mary

Rejoicing with you,
grieving with you,

Mary, graced by God --
Love's Mystery did come to you --
of our race we deem you
most the blessed,

save but the Blessed One,
the Child
who came to birth in you.

Woman holy,

trembling at the Presence
of the Angel,

willing the rare
and marvellous exchange,

in the darkness
holding the Unseen,

bearing forth
the Word made flesh
for earth's redeeming,

hold to your heart our world,
and pray for humankind,

that we with you
be bearers of the Christ,

through this
and all our days,
and at the last.

--The Rev. Jim Cotter (1942-2014), English priest, poet, and contributor to the New Zealand Prayer Book, from Prayer at Night's Approaching, 1983

Angelus prayer

V. The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary,
R. And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you.
Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

V. Behold the handmaid of the Lord.
R. Be it done unto me according to Your Word.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you.
Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

V. And the Word was made flesh,
R. And dwelt among us.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you.
Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray:
Pour forth, we beseech You, O Lord, Your Grace into our hearts;
that as we have known the incarnation of Christ, your Son
by the message of an angel,
so by His passion and cross we may be brought to the glory of His Resurrection.
Through the same Christ, our Lord.
Amen.

Based on Luke 1:26-38

Annunciation, by Romare Bearden, African American.