Great Advent Antiphons: O Root of Jesse

From December 17 every day until Christmas we pray an “O Antiphon” which focuses on a biblical title given to the Messiah by the Prophet Isaiah, whose book in the Scriptures is also called the Gospel of the Old Testament as it expresses the great longing for the Saviour to come: O Sapientia (O Wisdom), O Adonai (O Lord), O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse), O Clavis David (O Key of David), O Oriens (O Rising Sun), O Rex Gentium (O King of the Nations), and O Emmanuel.
 
Over next week leading up to Christmas I would like to encourage you to pray these deeply scriptural antiphons in order to contract form them the Isaiah’s great longing for the Savior to come into our lives.
 
 
December 19
 
Prayer:
 
 
O God who through the child-bearing of the Holy Virgin
graciously revealed the radiance of your glory to the world,
grant, we pray,
that we may venerate with integrity of faith
the mystery of so wondrous as Incarnation
and always celebrate it with due reverence.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son.
Who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit
One God forever and ever.
 
 
 
O Root of Jesse, you stand as a signal for the nations; kings fall silent before you whom the peoples acclaim. O come to deliver us, and do not delay.
 
 
O Radix Iesse, qui stas in signum populorum, super quem continebunt reges os suum, quem gentes deprecabuntur: veni ad liberandum nos, iam noli tardare.