Friday, December 23, 2016

The Great O's : O Emmanuel (December 23)




The Annunciation, by Jacopo Torriti, Santa Maria Maggiore.


At Lauds today, the Benedictus antiphon is of the date rather than the Advent day: it announces that all the things the angel promised to Our Lady have been fulfilled (Ecce completa sunt omnia, quae dicta sunt per Angelum de Virgine Maria).

At Vespers today, we enjoy the final O antiphon, O Emmanuel:
O Emmanuel, our King and our Law-giver, Longing of the Gentiles, yea, and Salvation thereof; come to save us, O Lord our God!
Let us pray therefore that all might be filled with the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom...



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