Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Wednesday of the Third Week of Advent

(Genesis 49:2.8-10; Matthew 1:1-17)

Today the “O” Antiphons launch the Church’s proximate preparation for Christmas.  These verses, which make up the traditional carol “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” convey the desire of all good people for a savior.  Today’s verse pictures the savior as wisdom which will distinguish helpful knowledge from vanity.

The gospel reading traces Jesus’ lineage through David and Judah to Abraham.  It goes through Solomon, the Jewish father of wisdom.  More importantly, it exemplifies the order that wisdom creates – forty-two generations from Abraham to Jesus, divided into three groups of fourteen, which itself is twice the number of perfection.

If one could make a Christmas request, wisdom would make a worthy choice.  It rounds out a good life with the dual senses of gratitude for what we have and patience for what we lack. When we seek wisdom in Jesus, we appreciate him as a life-long companion who will guide truly us to our destiny.

Friday, December 24, 2010

Friday of the Fourth Week of Advent

(II Samuel 7:1-5.8b-12.14a.16; Luke 1:67-79)

The Church aids our reflection on the mystery of the Incarnation by presenting different titles for Jesus on the seven days before Christmas Eve. The titles comprise the kernel of what are commonly called the “O Antiphons” sung at Evening Prayer and echoed in the “alleluia” acclamation before the gospel reading at Mass. Someone has cleverly noticed that the first letters of the Latin titles given backwards, beginning with E for Emmanuel on December 23, form the acrostic ERO CRAS, which means “I will be tomorrow.” Tomorrow we will celebrate Christ’s being with us as a human being, a gift which might take our breath away.

The titles of the “O antiphons” in the order of the acrostic run as follows. E is for Emmanuel: Jesus is literally “God-with-us.” R is for Rex: he is the king who will care for our needs. O is for Oriens: Jesus comes as the dawn bringing the light of truth. C is for Clavis: he holds the key of David to heaven’s door. R is for Radix: Jesus comes from the root of Jesse, a royal pedigree assuring capability. A is for Adonai: he is the Lord God of Israel who loves the poor and oppressed. And S is for Sapientia: Jesus dispenses wisdom to assist us on the earthly sojourn.

We are encouraged to attend midnight mass on Christmas Eve. The reason for mass at midnight goes deeper than waiting for the clock to officially toll the beginning of a new day. Jesus promises to return “like a thief in the night” and asks his disciples to stay awake in vigilance waiting for him. Beyond dining and exchanging Christmas presents, we should pray and perhaps reflect again on the titles of the “O antiphons” as we await his presence at mass in the middle of the night.