Advent Meditations: Sunday 17 December

Dec 17, 2023 by Jill

Third Sunday of Advent:

LITURGICAL THEME: The Scriptures for this Gaudete Sunday proclaim the essence of this Latin salutation in no uncertain terms: Rejoice! As we consider the calendar, consider the Advent journey, consider the promises that have been afforded to us, joy is indeed at the heart of the celebration of Advent and calls us to discover it. The joy that the Scriptures speak about is not a joy that equates with hilarious laughter or the thrill one receives over a pleasure such as a delicious holiday treat or a beautiful gift. It is the joy that comes from a knowledge and security in and with our God, his gathered people and our vocation in the world. It is that type of delight and joy that the Psalmist is speaking of when he shouts out, “Bless the Lord O My Soul, All that is within me bless his holy name!”. This resonates a joy that cannot be bought or obtained from the things of this world despite what the holiday adverts might suggest. The term Gaudete refers to the first word of the Entrance Antiphon, “Rejoice” and in some parishes Rose colored vestments are worn to emphasize our joy that Christmas is near, and the rose candle on the Advent wreath is lit.

No doubt the hope for the Messiah seemed the same ages ago, but Christ our Hope entered this world, and by becoming incarnate became vulnerable just as those school children were and while it may be difficult this Sunday to fully embrace Gaudete Sunday for some, we are still asked to Rejoice! As we consider the Advent journey, we must consider in faith the promises that have been afforded to us, to navigate the pains and brokenness. The Second Reading for today from St. Paul serves is well as it shares that the bearer of our hope is near and we will be better for that arrival.

FIRST DAY OF THE O ANTIPHONS

LATIN: O Sapientia, quae ex ore Altissimi prodidisti, attingens a fine usque ad finem, fortiter suaviter disponensque omnia: veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiae. 

ENGLISH: O Wisdom, who came from the mouth of the Most High, reaching from end to end and ordering all things mightily and sweetly: come, and teach us the way of prudence.

SYMBOLISM: O Sapientia – WISDOM!  December 17 marks the beginning of the “O” Antiphons, dating back to the fourth century, one for each day until Christmas Eve. The seven antiphons to the praying of the Magnificat in the Daily Office are for the seven days preceding the vigil of Christmas; so called because all begins with the interjection “O”…these antiphons address Christ with seven Messianic titles, based on the Old Testament prophecies and types of Christ.  The O Antiphons developed during the Church’s very first centuries. The writer Boethius mentions them in the 6^th Century and by the 8th century they were in use in Rome. There are seven of these special antiphons, and their texts spring from the Old Testament Hebrew Scriptures, the Prophetic and Wisdom Books. Each day the church prays a particular antiphon prescribed for these most holy days.

PRAYER: .O LORD Jesus Christ, who at thy first coming didst send thy messenger to prepare thy way before thee: Grant that the ministers and stewards of thy mysteries may likewise so prepare and make ready thy way, by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, that at thy second coming to judge the world we may be found an acceptable people in thy sight, who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Spiritual Discipline/Activity – Revive the old English tradition of going “gooding,” which involved women in need visiting homes and offering blessings in exchange for money and other provisions. Act in the stead of such women and offer blessings while collecting needs for singe expecting mothers for a nearby ministry to such persons.

ANCIENT WISDOM/PRESENT GRACE: ““There is no virtue in the Christian life which is not made radiant with joy; there is no circumstance and no occasion which is not illuminated with joy. A joyless life is not a Christian life, for joy is one constant recipe for Christian living.”-William Barclay, Biblical Scholar

SONG FOR THE DAY –Oh For Joy: Written by Nathan Storey and Tim Briggs

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