Novena for the Christ-Mass: Day 6 (O Oriens)

Veni, Veni, O Oriens!
    O come, Thou Dayspring,
        come and cheer,
Solare nos adveniens,
    Our spirits by Thine advent here;
Noctis depelle nebulas,
    Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
Dirasque noctis tenebras.
    And death's dark shadows
        put to flight.

Gaude, gaude, Emmanuel
    Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel
Nascetur pro te, Israel.
    Shall come to thee, O Israel.

A reflection on O Oriens, the fifth of the Great O Antiphons, by Br Vincent Anthony Loning OP, at Blackfriars Oxford (21.12.20).

Isaiah had prophesied, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shown.” (9:1).

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“O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice: come, shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.”

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(Commentary for this series of the “O Antiphons” is authored by Father William Saunders, a priest of the Diocese of Arlington, with copyright 2003 from the Arlington Catholic Herald. Images in the upper right corner are taken from the Illustrated Liturgical Year Calendar, a series of posters available by subscription from Sophia Institute Press, and featured at a marvelous internet resource entitled Liturgy of the Home, which we are fortunate to promote here once again. Both commentary and calendar illustrations are used in this series without permission or shame.)

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This entire series can be found in progress at the "xmasnovena2022” tag.