O Wisdom - Banner
Author/Artist: The Benedictine Sisters of Turvey Abbey
December 17th
O Wisdom, who came forth from the mouth of the Most High, reaching from one end of creation to the other, strongly and gently ordering all things, come to teach us the way of prudence.
O Sapienta, quae ex ore Altissimi prodisti,
attingens a fine usque ad finem,
fortiter suaviyer disponensque omnia:
veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiaer.
The text was composes from the Wisdom of Solomon 7:22-30; 8:1, and Proverbs 8:22-31.
St Paul develops the theme in Ephesians 1:3 and Colossians 1:15-20.
The wisdom of God is Christ, who existed before all creation, through whom and for whom all things came into being and by whom all things are held together.
The banner shows the eternal Christ whose throne is the universe, the earth his footstool, the Pantocrator of ancient and medieval paintings.
He is the Wisdom and Power of God (1 Corinthians 1:30).
The 'O-Antiphons':
A highlight of the Church's Advent Liturgy are the O-Antiphons. 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.
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, like God's answer to our prayer :
Sapienta
Adonai
Radix Jesse
Clavis David
Oriens
Rex Gentium
Emmanuel
ERO CRAS : I WILL BE HERE TOMORROW
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