"O Key of David..."
advent antiphons
The key of the house of David
I will lay on his shoulder;
So he shall open, and no one shall shut;
And he shall shut, and no one shall open.
-- Isaiah 22.22 (NKJV)
Today we pray for Christ's coming:
O Key of David and scepter of the house of Israel,
you open and no one else . . .
"O Root of Jesse..."
advent antiphons
There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse,
And a Branch shall grow out of his roots...
“And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse,
Who shall stand as a banner to the people;
For the Gentiles shall seek Him,
And His resting place shall be glorious.”
-- Isaiah 11.1, 11 (NKJV)
. . .
"O Adonai..."
advent antiphons
But with righteousness He shall judge the poor,
And decide with equity for the meek of the earth;
He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth,
And with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked.
Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins,
And faithfulness the belt of His waist...
For the . . .
"O Wisdom..."
advent antiphons
The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him,
The Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
The Spirit of counsel and might,
The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.
His delight is in the fear of the Lord,
And He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes,
Nor decide by the hearing of His ears;
-- . . .
prayerful waiting: the "O Antiphons"
The seven days of Advent leading up to Christmas Eve and the proper celebration of Christmas are sometimes called the "Golden Nights" and are marked with an additional set of prayers in the Vespers (Evening Prayer) service. These prayers are sometimes called the "O Antiphons" because of how they begin and mark a . . .
feast day: St. Michael and all the angels
The observance of St. Michael’s day is one of the oldest in the church liturgical calendar. In the Western Lutheran and Anglican traditions, this feast day celebrates all angels on this day, not just St. Michael. In the Roman and Eastern traditions, these celebrations are split into two separate feast days.
Traditional has it that . . .
a Thanksgiving prayer
Almighty and gracious Father, we give thee thanks for the fruits of the earth in their season and for the labors of those who harvest them. Make us, we beseech thee, faithful stewards of they great bounty, for the provision of our necessities and the relief of all who are in need, to the glory of thy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, . . .
