"O King of all the nations, the only joy of every human heart" begins the sixth O Antiphon. Since we looked at the kingship and Kingdom of God in November and December, we won't spend much time on it today except to say that he is not the usual type of earthly king. The Israelites expected a king in the mold of David who would wage wars against their enemies. Isaiah says, "Every warrior's boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire. For to us a child is born, to us a child is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever" (Isaiah 9:5-7). Our God is not a God of war, but a God of peace. His weapons, our weapons, are spiritual because people are not our enemy. Our enemy, God's enemy, is Satan and his works. When we complete the defeat of Satan, full peace will be restored in the Kingdom of God on earth. Our weapons are prayer, forgiveness, reconciliation, healing, salvation, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit (see 1 Corinthians 13). All of these destroy Satan's stronghold and deliver people into the Kingdom of God. For God wants everyone to be saved and to join him in his Kingdom. For Reflection: Have I slipped into the mindset of considering any person to be my enemy? Let us pray. Jesus, you are Messiah, King, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God and Prince of Peace. The government of justice and righteousness is on your shoulders. Change my mindset and give me eyes to see my true enemy. Let me be a warrior using your weapons to bring peace and justice.
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"O Radiant Dawn" is the next title for Christ in the O Antiphons. It is especially appropriate, for those of us in the northern hemisphere where Christmas comes during the darker time of winter, to think of Jesus as our bright light. He is the light of salvation that overcomes the darkness of sin and death. He is the light for our path that leads us in his ways. He is the light of a new day, a new beginning, a new era. The star of Bethlehem signified his arrival and darkness overtook the earth at his death. But now he is the light of the resurrection which will never fade. He is the perpetual, radiant dawn. The Scripture citation today is from Isaiah 9:1, "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned." For Reflection: What dark thoughts am I hiding from God? It is time to bring them to the Light. Let us pray. O Wisdom, O Lord, O Flower of Jesse, O Key of David, O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice, come, shine on me and in my life today. "I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David; what he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open." Isaiah spoke these words (22:22) some time around 700 BC, long before Jesus was to be born. Yet Isaiah saw a distant future, a different time. "O Key of David" brings us to the fourth of the O Antiphons. Jesus came to open prison doors and set the captives free. He came to open the gates of Heaven and to close the gates of Hell. The key to each is on his shoulders as the kingdom is on his shoulders, as the beam of the cross is on his shoulders, as life and death, judgment and justice are on his shoulders. He not only carries the key, he uses the key, he is the key. For Reflection: What things that have been locked away need to be opened? Who in my life do I need to set free? Let us pray. O Wisdom, O Lord, O Flower of Jesse, O Key of David, you are the key to healing, to freedom, to wholeness. Open my mind to your wisdom. Let it take root and flower in me that I might follow in your footsteps by opening doors and setting captives free. "O Flower of Jesse's Stem" is the next title in the O Antiphons. Surely it is one of the more obscure titles of the Messiah. Who was Jesse? Jesse was the father of King David. It was prophesied by Isaiah that the Messiah would come from the lineage of King David. "A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit" (Isaiah 11:1) and "In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his place of rest will be glorious" (11:10). It was also foretold by Micah that the Messiah would hail from Bethlehem. "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times" (Micah 5:2). Because of these prophecies concerning the Messiah, Matthew gives us the lineage of Jesus (Matthew 1) and Luke provides the story of how Jesus came to be born in Bethlehem, the City of David (Luke 2). Thus they help to demonstrate that Jesus is the Messiah. Jesus, of the tribe of Jesse, of the town of Bethlehem, is the full flowering of the Messianic promises made through the ages. For Reflection: Christians were persecuted around the world this year. Some had their churches bombed. Some were not allowed to worship openly. Some were not allowed to visit Bethlehem for Christmas. Let us pray. O Wisdom, O Lord, O Flower of Jesse’s stem, 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. |
AliceI started this website and blog on May 1, 2012. I am a Catholic who has been in ministry for many years. I first developed what I would call a close relationship with Jesus in the early 1970s. Ever since then I have been praying with people for healing and other needs. It is because I have seen so many of these prayers answered that I am so bold as to offer to pray for you individually through this website and phone line. Archives
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