The “O” Antiphons: O King…

Deacon Pedro

December 22, 2015
O_King
From December 17-23, I’d like to share with you these antiphons, that you will pray with them and they will help you continue to prepare for the Advent of our Lord. May they become part of your Advent tradition as they are becoming part of mine.
For December 22, the antiphon is based on Isaiah 2:4; 11:10, Psalm 47:8; Jeremiah 10:7, Daniel 7:14; Haggai 2:8, Romans 15:12 and Ephesians 2:14, 20.
O Rex Gentium, et desideratus earum, lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum: veni, et salva hominem, quem de limo formasti.
O King of all peoples and their hope, cornerstone uniting Jews and Gentiles in one people: Come, and save man whom You formed from the dust of the earth.
From Evening prayer
O King of all the nations
the only joy of every human heart; O Keystone of the mighty arch of man:
Come
and save the creature you fashioned from the dust.
From O Come, O Come Emmannuel:
Verse 7:
O Come, Desire of the nations, bind
in one the hearts of all mankind;
bid every strife and quarrel cease
and fill the world with heaven’s peace.
King of All Peoples
By His word, God made the first man, from whom all men and women have been born – people now divided into many peoples and nations struggling against one another.
In Christ, the Word incarnate, God gathers all who are of good will again into one, in the unity of His Mystical Body; and thereby He fulfills the desire of mankind through the ages for true union and peace. We beg Him to come and save our warring world, to re-establish all things in His love.
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(Reflection taken from Bible and Liturgy, a Sunday parish bulletin published by the Liturgical Press, Collegeville, Minn. Edited by Rev. William Heidt, OSB. Published with the approval of Bishop Peter W. Bartholome of St. Cloud. Printed in 1959 by the North Central Publishing Company, St. Paul, Minnesota (c) 1959 by the Order of St. Benedict, Inc.)