“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas everywhere you go …” I can still hear Bing Crosby crooning away these lyrics in my childhood days. I am also of the generation that remembers the dulcet tone of Elvis singing, “I will have a blue Christmas without you …” This year in my own life both melodies seem to be ever-present. Yet, as they are heard, I am also conscious of a third tune arising in these days, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” and its hope-filled refrain, “Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.”
This Advent hymn is based on the “O Antiphons” which are used at Evening Prayer (Vespers) with the Canticle of Mary (the Magnificat) for the last seven days of the Advent season. They are based on the prophecies of Isaiah revealing various titles that refer to the coming of the Messiah. They proclaim the coming of Christ as the fulfillment of not only Old Testament hopes, but present ones as well. As the USCCB website notes, “Their repeated use of the imperative ‘Come!’ embodies the longing of all for the Divine Messiah.”
What exactly are these titles and their associated meanings? Let’s explore:
“O Wisdom of our God Most High, guiding creation with power and love: Come to teach us the path of knowledge!” Isaiah prophesies, “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).
“O Leader of the House of Israel, giver of the Law to Moses on Sinai: Come to rescue us with Your mighty power!” Again, in Isaiah, one reads, “But He shall judge the poor with justice, and decide aright for the lands afflicted. He shall strike the ruthless with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked. Justice shall be the band around His waist, and faithfulness a belt upon His hips” (11:4-5); and “Indeed the Lord will be there with us, majestic; yes the Lord our judge, the Lord our lawgiver, the Lord our king, He it is who will save us” (33:22).
“O Root of Jesse’s stem, sign of God’s love for all His people: Come to save us without delay!” Isaiah announces, “But a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom (11:1), and “On that day, the root of Jesse, set up as a signal for the nations, the Gentiles shall seek out, for His dwelling shall be glorious (11:10). Also, Jesse was the father of King David, and Micah had prophesied that the Messiah would be “of the house and lineage of David and be born in David’s city, Bethlehem” (Micah 5:1).
“O Key of David, opening the gates of God’s eternal Kingdom: Come and free the prisoners of darkness!” Isaiah prophesies again, “I will place the Key of the House of David on His shoulder; when He opens, no one will shut, when He shuts, no one will open (22:22), and “His dominion is vast and forever peaceful, from David’s throne, and over His kingdom, which he confirms and sustains by judgment and justice, both now and forever” (Isaiah 9:6).
“O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice: Come and shine on those who dwell in darkness and in the shadow of death.” Referring to one of my favorite verses in Isaiah, “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).
“O King of all nations and keystone of the Church: Come and save man, whom you formed from the dust!” Continuing Isaiah’s hit parade are these two verses associated with this antiphon: “For a child is born to us, a son is given us; upon His shoulder dominion rests. They name Him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace (9:5), and “He shall judge between the nations, and impose terms on many peoples. They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; one nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again” (2:4).
“O Emmanuel, our King and Giver of Law: Come to save us, Lord our God!” Isaiah’s ultimate prophecy: “The Lord Himself will give you this sign: the Virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name Him Emmanuel (7:14).
This last antiphon brings us to the pinnacle of rejoicing for “Emmanuel” signifying, “God is with us!” What a reminder for anyone struggling to come to terms with conflicting emotions at this time of year. One may hear, “Joy to the world …” and wonder how could it be possible when everything seems so empty?
I am reminded of the scene in Dr. Seuss’s The Grinch Who Stole Christmas when on Christmas morning the villagers awaken to barren houses and a deserted village center. The Grinch is expecting to hear cries and lamentations, but instead as he listens, he hears singing … and joyful at that! In a moment of great perplexion, he comes to know that there is a greater love at work described in the words of the prophet Baruch heard on the Second Sunday of Advent: “Jerusalem, take off your robe of mourning and misery; put on the splendor of glory from God forever … Up, Jerusalem! Stand upon the heights; look to the east and see your children gathered from the east and the west at the word of the Holy One, rejoicing that they are remembered by God” (5:1, 5).
The “O Antiphons” remind you and me that we are remembered by God and that we don’t walk alone. As Alice Camille wrote in US Catholic last December 2023, “The O antiphons really are oh-mazing. They express our mortal longing and pain: O no! They also render the surprise and gladness of a people visited by the God who saves. These are exclamations of tenderness and majesty. They speak of lineage and belonging … They are the refrain of all our hopes that rescue is coming with peace and light, with power and forgiveness, with new life rooted in the past, reaching forward into the promise of the future.”
Yes, it is beginning to look a lot like Christmas and may Emmanuel come and chase away the blues! Continued Advent blessings!
