YOU APPEARED TO MOSES IN THE FIRE OF THE BURNING BUSH
AND ON MOUNT SINAI GAVE HIM YOUR LAW.
COME, AND WITH OUTSTRETCHED ARM, REDEEM US.
~ O ANTIPHONS
WEDNESDAY OF THE THIRD WEEK OF ADVENT
YESTERDAY, WE SAID THAT ONE OF THE ADVENT THEMES WAS THAT OF WAITING.
WE’LL NUANCE THAT TODAY AND SAY THAT A FURTHER THEME IS TO WATCH FOR LIGHT TO SHINE IN OUR DARKNESS.
FOR THOSE OF US WHO ARE CHRISTIANS AWAIT, JESUS,YESHUA, WHO IS FOR US THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.
WE PREPARE A PLACE FOR HIM TO SHINE IN OUR OWN HEARTS THIS DAY.
WE INVITE YOU TO SEARCH OUT YOUR OWN INNER MEANING WHATEVER THAT MIGHT BE.
AND MY PRAYER . . .
O ADONAI*, WE NEED YOU IN OUR WORLD MORE THAN EVER!
YOU APPEARED IN THE BURNING BUSH LONG AGO.
I REMEMBER THIS AWESOME SUNRISE THREE YEARS AGO OVER THE OCEAN AT ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH.
I’M REMINDED OF THE OLD SAILOR’S MAXIM: “RED AT NIGHT, A SAILOR’S DELIGHT; RED IN THE MORNING, SAILOR’S TAKE WARNING.”
COME WITH YOUR REFINER’S FIRE AND BURN YOUR WAY INTO OUR HEARTS,
SO THAT WE CAN PREPARE THE WAY FOR THE MESSIAH TO COME INTO OUR LIVES,
INTO OUR HOMES,
OUR WORKPLACE AND MARKETPLACE,
OUR NEIGHBORHOODS
OUR BELOVED COUNTRY,
OUR WAITING WORLD!
COME LORD JESUS!
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WHAT ARE THE “O ANTIPHONS?”
THEY’RE ONE OF THE MOST CHERISHED COLLECTIONS OF OUR ANCIENT LITURGICAL CHANTS. THE SEVEN “O ANTIPHONS”ARE SUNG EACH OF THE SEVEN NIGHTS BEFORE CHRISTMAS AT VESPERS. THEY HAVE BEAUTIFUL CHANT MELODIES. I AM SHOWING YOU SOME OF THE BEAUTIFUL TEXTS THIS WEEK BEFORE CHRISTMAS.
HERE IS AN AUDIO SLIDE SHOW OF O COME, O COME EMMANUEL FOR YOUR REFLECTION THAT IS AN ENGLISH POETIC TRANSLATION OF THESE 7 ANTIPHONS. WHEN YOU GET TO YOU TUBE THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER PRESENTATIONS OF THE MELODY AVAILABLE INCLUDING A HAUNTING ONE BY ENYA. ENJOY.
* ADONAI IS ONE OF THE NAMES THE JEWISH PEOPLE USE FOR GOD.
Father Bob's Reflections 