Dec. 17 : o Wisdom !
O Sapientia, quae ex ore Altissimi prodisti attingens a fine usque ad finem fortiter suaviter disponensque omnia: veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiae.
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
Sapientia Altissimi, fortiter suaviterque disponens omnia:
veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiae.
O Wisdom
of our God Most High
guiding creation with power and love:
come to teach us the path of knowledge
Veni, O Sapientia, quae hic disponis omnia
Veni, viam prudentiae ut doceas et gloriae.
O Come, Thou Wisdom, from on high
and order all things far and nigh
to us the path of knowledge show
and teach us in her ways to go
Readings for the day
Wisdom 8:1-3 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
8 She reaches mightily from one end of the earth to the other, and she orders all things well.
Isaiah 11:2-3 King James Version (KJV)
2 And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord;
3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:
Proverbs 8 English Standard Version (ESV)
The Blessings of Wisdom
8 Does not wisdom call?
Does not understanding raise her voice?
2 On the heights beside the way,
at the crossroads she takes her stand;
3 beside the gates in front of the town,
at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud:
4 “To you, O men, I call,
and my cry is to the children of man.
5 O simple ones, learn prudence;
O fools, learn sense.
6 Hear, for I will speak noble things,
and from my lips will come what is right,
7 for my mouth will utter truth;
wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 All the words of my mouth are righteous;
there is nothing twisted or crooked in them.
9 They are all straight to him who understands,
and right to those who find knowledge.
10 Take my instruction instead of silver,
and knowledge rather than choice gold,
11 for wisdom is better than jewels,
and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.
12 “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,
and I find knowledge and discretion.
13 The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil.
Pride and arrogance and the way of evil
and perverted speech I hate.
14 I have counsel and sound wisdom;
I have insight; I have strength.
15 By me kings reign,
and rulers decree what is just;
16 by me princes rule,
and nobles, all who govern justly.
17 I love those who love me,
and those who seek me diligently find me.
18 Riches and honor are with me,
enduring wealth and righteousness.
19 My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold,
and my yield than choice silver.
20 I walk in the way of righteousness,
in the paths of justice,
21 granting an inheritance to those who love me,
and filling their treasuries.
22 “The Lord possessed me at the beginning of his work,
the first of his acts of old.
23 Ages ago I was set up,
at the first, before the beginning of the earth.
24 When there were no depths I was brought forth,
when there were no springs abounding with water.
25 Before the mountains had been shaped,
before the hills, I was brought forth,
26 before he had made the earth with its fields,
or the first of the dust of the world.
27 When he established the heavens, I was there;
when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,
28 when he made firm the skies above,
when he established the fountains of the deep,
29 when he assigned to the sea its limit,
so that the waters might not transgress his command,
when he marked out the foundations of the earth,
30 then I was beside him, like a master workman,
and I was daily his delight,
rejoicing before him always,
31 rejoicing in his inhabited world
and delighting in the children of man.
32 “And now, O sons, listen to me:
blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 Hear instruction and be wise,
and do not neglect it.
34 Blessed is the one who listens to me,
watching daily at my gates,
waiting beside my doors.
35 For whoever finds me finds life
and obtains favor from the Lord,
36 but he who fails to find me injures himself;
all who hate me love death.”
John 1:1-5 New International Version (NIV)
The Word Became Flesh
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcomea] it.
What are O Antiphons?
The O Antiphons are a set of seven ancient hymns used in the Christian liturgy, particularly during the evening prayer (Vespers) in the days leading up to Christmas from December 17 to December 23. Each antiphon is addressed to Christ and takes on the form of a petition, invoking Him with a different title that highlights aspects of His identity and role in salvation history.
The seven O Antiphons are as follows:
O Sapientia (O Wisdom) – Invokes Christ as the embodiment of divine wisdom.
O Adonai (O Lord) – Refers to Christ as Lord, the giver of the Law to the people of Israel.
O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse) – Highlights Christ’s lineage from Jesse, father of King David, emphasizing His royal descent.
O Clavis David (O Key of David) – Refers to Christ as the one who holds the keys to heaven and hell and opens the way to salvation.
O Oriens (O Rising Sun) – Symbolizes Christ as the light that dispels darkness and brings hope.
O Rex Gentium (O King of Nations) – Acknowledges Christ as the King of all people and nations.
O Emmanuel (O God with Us) – Recognizes the incarnation of Christ, who is God present among us.
Each antiphon is traditionally paired with a Magnificat (the canticle of Mary) and often includes a prayer for the coming of the Messiah. The O Antiphons are well-known for their poetic form and theological depth, and they are often the basis for the popular Advent hymn O Come, O Come, Emmanuel. The use of these antiphons highlights the anticipation and longing for the coming of Christ during the Advent season.
