Praying the O Antiphons

Crossposted with Family Feast and Feria

The last seven days before Christmas (starting December 17) marks the beginning of the "O" Antiphons, the seven jewels of our liturgy. Each evening in Vespers the antiphon is sung or recited at the Magnificat. Dating back to the fourth century, these antiphons address Christ with seven magnificent Messianic titles, based on the Old Testament prophecies and types of Christ. They sum up in excellence the longing of the Redeemer, and we join the antiphons and echo the prayer “Come!” They are entitled “O” because each begins with an “O”.

I’m very fond of this time of Advent. This is a little “pick-me-up” that helps us refocus. Our Advent endeavors and focus haven’t always come to fruition. The O Antiphons remind me that Christ comes in 7 days, and although the outward preparations can cause a frenzy, the O Antiphons beckon me to relax and invite Christ to come into my heart. The urgent “Come!” reminds me of a child’s eager and impatient waiting for Christmas Eve.

The antiphons themselves are not always easy to relate to children. There are many different craft ideas to mark these days. No matter how they are presented, my intention is to unite our family’s prayers with the whole Church. The antiphons can be found in the Vespers, and also the Alleluia verse at Mass. The "O" Antiphons are the verses for the ancient hymn O Come, O Come Emmanuel. The first letter of the Messianic titles: Emmanuel, Rex, Oriens, Clavis, Radix, Adonai, Sapientia-spell out Latin words ERO CRAS, meaning, "Tomorrow, I will come." (The translations below are the traditional antiphons; they do not match exactly with the current Divine Office or Alleluia verse.)

Keeping this in mind, we are adding to our prayers the Antiphon, Magnificat, and singing the corresponding verse of the O Come Emmanuel. Adding elements to our meals is another aspect of incorporating the O Antiphons. One way is reviving the old custom of monasteries of different monks furnishing extra treats on these days to the members of the community. As Florence Berger describes:

The gardener gave the community some of his finest dried or preserved fruits on Dec 19 when he called on Christ: 'O Root of Jesse, come to deliver us and tarry not.' The cellarer unlocked the best wine for his treat as he called: 'O Key of David, come, and come quickly.' Finally, on Dec 23, the abbot gave his extra gift to the brothers. Expense accounts which are still extant show how generous and extensive a list of foods were used on the abbot's 'O day.'" — Cooking for Christ, 1949

Our family did this as I was growing up, and it was one of my favorite Advent memories, especially having all the family members involved in a surprise. Depending on the size of your family, each day can be "assigned" to a family member, usually youngest to oldest, so that they can provide a special treat for that O Antiphon day. The surprise usually revolves around dinner, but it does not need to be too fancy or a food treat. The best part is leaving it up to the member to keep it a secret until dinner time, except possibly with some help from Mom and Dad. I’m also incorporating different ways to incorporate the symbols of the antiphons in our meals or dessert.

If we try to make our own the thought of these antiphons on their proper days, letting their ardent aspirations dominate our prayer life, our minds and hearts will surely be more closely attuned to the mind and heart of the Church as she prepares for the coming of her King. (With Christ Through the Year, Rev. Bernard Strasser, O.S.B., 1947).

I included some picture study for our O Antiphon prayer pages. Enjoy!

Download O antiphons prayer companion

Comments

[Lacy @ Catholic Icing]

LOVE the download! Thank you so much for this! :-)

[Margaret in Minnesota]

I'm with Lacy, Jennifer. This download is just beautiful and will certainly be tucked away to use every Advent. Thank you!

(cross-commenting at Family Feast & Feria :)

[Stephanie]

Thanks so much for this post and the download. (I think I originally got here through Catholic Icing, so thanks to you Lacy, too.) My family and I used this and I also linked back to you on my blog.