Artwork by the
Benedictine Sisters of Turvey Abbey
December 19th: 'O Root of Jesse, who stand as
a signal for the peoples, before whom kings will be silent, to whom the nations
shall pray, come to free us, delay now no longer.'
'O Radix jesse, qui stas in signum populoram,
super quem continebunt reges os suum,
quem gentes deprecabuntur:
veni ad liberandum nos,
jam noli tardare.'
The text is taken from one of Isaiah's great Messianic prophecies (ch.11).
Jesse was the father of King David, Christ's ancestor, and Christ is the flower
springing from the ancient root.
On him the Spirit of the Lord will rest, restoring God's creation to its
original wholeness and innocence.
He will be given the throne of David, as the Angel announced to Mary (Luke
1:32) and in the Temple of Jerusalem Simeon will take the Christ child in his
arms and proclaim him the light of the gentiles, the glory of God's people
Israel (Luke 2:29-35).
His life will be marked by both glory and contradiction.
Mary's own heart will be pierced. The coming Kingdom will suffer violence.
The O Antiphons are a highlight of the
Church's Advent Liturgy: from December 17th - 23rd they frame the Magnificat at
Vespers.
Rich in symbolism and meaning they take us right from the
beginning of creation, through the centuries of the world's waiting for the
promised Messiah, calling upon him who was hidden in signs and symbols, and
revealed when the fullness of time had come, leading us to the Mystery of the
Incarnation and beyond, to the Paschal Mystery, the coming of the Holy Spirit
and the Parousia (Christ's second coming).
The exact origin of the Latin texts is unknown. They may
date from the sixth century. There is evidence to suggest that the texts were
in liturgical use in Rome in the eighth century. Both the original Latin texts
and an English translation are given here.
Arriving at the 7th Antiphon on December 23rd, we may
discover that the letters of the Latin invocations, read from the last up to
the first, form a wonderful acrostic (ERO CRAS), like God's answer to our
prayer:
Dec. 17: Sapienta (O Wisdom)
Dec. 18: Adonai (O Adonai [Lord])
Dec. 19: Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse)
Dec. 20: Clavis David (O Key of David)
Dec. 21: Oriens (O Rising Sun)
Dec. 22: Rex Gentium (O King of the Nations)
Dec. 23: Emmanuel (O Emmanuel)
ERO CRAS: I WILL BE HERE TOMORROW
Christmas: O Wonderful Exchange (Antiphon
from the Greek Liturgy "O Wonderful Exchange! The Creator of the human
race took to himself a human body and was born of a virgin, and becoming man he
granted us divinity.")
Will it fit my lectern?
Frontals come with cord locks that enable you to adjust the hanging height and
width for most free-standing lecterns. Frontals hang below and tie around the
lectern’s front projection. If you are unsure whether our frontals will fit
your lectern, please contact us and we will advise you.
Important, please check before ordering:
The sloping book rest should have a front projection of at least 5cm.
Fabric, materials and production:
- 100% Polyester (natural-feel
material).
- Fade resistant printing.
- Includes wood rods (top and
bottom) and end caps and gold effect draw cord and cord locks.
- Fire retardant: BS5867/Type
B DIN4102
- A sample of the material can
be supplied upon request.
Delivery: Allow 10-14 days from date of order.
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