Today begins the Octave before Christmas, December 17-23. The “O Antiphons” refer to the seven antiphons that are recited (or chanted) preceding the Magnificat during Vespers of the Liturgy of the Hours. The importance of “O Antiphons” is twofold: Each one highlights a title for the Messiah: O Sapientia (O Wisdom), O Adonai (O Lord), O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse), O Clavis David (O Key of David), O Oriens (O Rising Sun), O Rex Gentium (O King of the Nations), and O Emmanuel. Also, each one refers to the prophecy of Isaiah of the coming of the Messiah.
O Sapientia: “O Wisdom, O holy Word of God, you govern all creation with your strong yet tender care. Come and show your people the way to salvation.”
Isaiah had prophesied, “The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him: a spirit of wisdom and of understanding, a spirit of counsel and of strength, a spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord, and his delight shall be the fear of the Lord.” (11:2-3), and “Wonderful is His counsel and great is His wisdom.” (28:29).
Wisdom is here personified, present with God at the beginning of creation. Wisdom is the foundation of fear of the Lord, of holiness, or right living: it is wisdom whom we bid to come and teach us prudence. One of my favorite books in the bible is Sirach. It is one of the books that Martin Luther removed from the bible after breaking away from the Catholic Church which is too bad because it contains some beautiful passages of scripture especially regarding wisdom. God pours forth wisdom on all of his works and “upon his friends.” (Sirach 1:8) God sees us as his friends! He wants to lavish us with wisdom so that we may walk in his truth but we must be willing to carry her on our shoulders. We need to seek her out and draw close to her. Wisdom will “nourish him with the bread of understanding and give him the water of learning to drink.” (Sirach 14:3)
“O come, Thou Wisdom from on high, Who orderest all things mightily; to us the path of knowledge show, and teach us in her ways to go” ~ Lyrics to O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
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