Advent Reflections
O Emmanuel / O Come O Come Emmanuel
The final of The Great “O” Antiphons reminds us that God is with us. O Emmanuel, our King and Lawgiver, the Desire of all nations and their Salvation: Come and […]
O King of Nations / Reign of God
Jesus as king and cornerstone is the message of the sixth of The Great “O” Antiphons, proclaiming the building of a new Christ-centered kingdom. O King of the nations, and […]
O Dayspring / Light in the Darkness
On this first day of winter, the fifth of The Great “O” Antiphons invites reflection on the promise of Jesus bringing light to a dark world. O Dayspring, Brightness of […]
O Key of David / Liberation
The fourth of the Great “O” Antiphons heralds the coming of Christ as the great liberator. Through his ancestor King David, Jesus holds the power to overcome darkness and death […]
O Root of Jesse / Jesse Tree
The third of The Great “O” Antiphons highlights Jesus’ lineage from Jesse, David’s father. The antiphons are seven brief prayers that are traditionally chanted or sung on successive evenings starting […]
O Adonai / Discipleship
The second of The Great “O” Antiphons is O Adonai. These antiphons are seven brief prayers that are traditionally chanted or sung on successive evenings beginning on December 17. O […]
O Wisdom / Storytelling / Testimony
The Great “O” Antiphons are seven brief prayers that are traditionally chanted or sung on successive evenings starting on December 17. The precise origin of these texts is unknown. However, […]
Posada / Hospitality
Las Posadas, Spanish for “the inns,” is an Advent celebration of hospitality in Mexico and some parts of Central and South America. The Posadas symbolize Mary and Joseph’s long, frustrating […]
Love
Advent gives us the opportunity to work on spiritual practices that may not come easy. The Christ Child that is to be born will grow up to be the Jesus […]
Come Thou Long Expected Jesus
Charles Wesley, one of the co-founders of the 18th century Methodist movement, wrote well over 6,000 hymns including seasonal favorites “Come, Thou Long- Expected Jesus,” “Lo, He Comes with Clouds […]