Friday the 19th: Daniel

 Daniel the prophet was thrown into a lion's den but the lion refused to eat him. May be have the bravery of Daniel that we will be protected.

 

 

Thursday the 18th: O Adonai

 Reflection: https://christianheritagecentre.com/media/advent-antiphons-o-adonai/

The word “Adonai” is a particular Hebrew term for “Lord”. Yet it is retained in the original Latin antiphon, rather than being translated to “Dominus”. The term is only used twice in the Vulgate (Latin) Bible. The only explanation for its usage in the antiphon is the author’s intended acrostic (see here)!

The first time “Adonai” is used in the Bible is when God reveals His name as “the LORD” to Moses. And so this second antiphon points us to the second essential thing that we, with our Jewish ancestors, can say about God: He is the Lawgiver.

The Latin words that refer to the Lord’s appearance in the burning bush are not taken directly from Exodus, but are a literal quotation from St Stephen’s speech in the Acts of the Apostles. Thus a discrete reference is inserted to the New Testament and to Christ.

The words either side of that phrase – referring to the leader of Israel and the Law on Sinai – are not found directly anywhere in the Old Testament, although they refer to Israel’s exodus from Egypt and to the Covenant formed with them. Equally, the last phrase, “Come and save us…” seems to refer to Moses’ song of thanksgiving after the crossing of the Red Sea.

So how does all this relate to Christmas? According to ancient Christian tradition, the revelation of the Old Testament was considered to be the Revelation, however veiled, of the Son, the Second Person of the Trinity. The God Who spoke to our ancestors spoke through His Word, Who becomes incarnate in the Christmas mystery. Hence Catholic theology has always seen a spiritual prefigurement or foreshadowing of the New Testament in the physical events of the Old Testament.

The leader of Israel, the One Who sets us free from the land of slavery, Who leads us through the waters of Baptism that wipe away all evil, and Who forms an irrevocable covenant in His blood on the mount, is Christ the Lord: the One Whose coming we await.

 

 

Thursday the 17th: O Wisdom

Reflection from https://anglicancompass.com/o-sapientia-o-wisdom-from-on-high/:  Why is Wisdom—or in Latin, Sapientia—the first of the seven “O Antiphons?” Because this is Wisdom from on high: the divine, personified Wisdom, who was present at the creation of the world. In other words, we begin our song with Wisdom, because she was singing at our beginning! And yes, we sing also of the human wisdom that we need, accepting that we must learn it at her feet. For “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Psalm 111:10, Proverbs 9:10).

 

 

Tuesday the 16th: Call of Isaiah

 Reflection: The fire tongs and hot coal are placed on the Jesse Tree today. We recall the prophet Isaiah today and his call to Judah to be a holy people. The book of Isaiah is full of prophecies about the coming Messiah.

In the first chapter, we see a shift in the way the people are asked to act out their faithfulness. In earlier books we see God asking for sacrifices and offerings, we see the people being called to prayer and worship. In Isaiah we hear God calling for justice for all people, and care for the poor as a way for the people to show their love: "When you spread out your hands, I close my eyes to you; Though you pray the more, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood! Wash yourselves clean! Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes; cease doing evil learn to do good. Make justice your aim: redress the wronged, hear the orphan's plea, defend the widow." (Isa 1: 15-17)

Today, think of someone you encounter who is in need of justice or defense. If you cannot think of someone  you know personally, consider making a donation to a food bank, or to a shelter. Look for ways to bring justice to the world. (https://reillyschurchsup.blogspot.com/2010/12/jesse-tree-3rd-wednesday-isaiah-call-to.html)

( https://angathome.com/2011/11/25/our-jesse-tree-symbols-and-readings-for-advent/)

 

Monday the 15th: Elijah the prophet

 Reflection: Elijah was the greatest of the prophets who defended the honor of the Lord on Mt. Carmel. It is in his spirit that the precursor of the Lord was to come. And Elisha dared to ask for a double portion of his spirit. Elisha’s request was very bold. Do you ask bold things of God? Do you have the confidence to ask big things of God? The Lord is generous and wants a heart big enough to ask for things in accord with his desire to grant them. (https://www.omvusa.org/st-francis-chapel/jesse-tree-advent-day-16/)

 (Picture from pinterest of the altar soaked in water that Elijah called down fire upon)

 

Friday the 12th: David and Goliath

 Such a weird story, right? A shepherd boy defeats a giant by hitting him in the head with a stone out of a slingshot, stunning him, and then cutting off his head. You have to wonder how much of it is real (historically real) and how much is a story passed down to remind us that God is always bigger than our enemies even when He feels smaller and seems to be taking his sweet time to defend us.

 (https://themacandcheesechronicles.com/2007/11/26/jesse-tree-ornaments/)

 

Thursday the 11th: The Shepherd-King

 Samuel was a prophet who witnessed to the evolution of Israel into a nation ruled by a king. The first king was Saul, but the greatest king was his successor, David. David was the youngest son of Jesse and until anointed by the Holy Spirit a simple shepherd boy. Samuel was called to recognize David's true calling and anoint him to lead Israel. David himself, like Saul, fell short of his true dignity but was able to repent fully before God for his sins.

 (https://www.pinterest.com/pin/358599189080969302/)