In this post, Thomas Smith reflects upon the O Antiphon “O Root of Jesse” from the December 19 daily Mass. You can find his other reflections on the O Anthiphons leading up to Christmas here.
Read
(This can also be sung to the melody “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”)
O come, Thou Root of Jesse’s stem,
From every foe deliver them
That trust Thy mighty power to save,
And give them victory o’er the grave.
Refrain: Rejoice, Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!
Reflect
United to our first two titles of the Messiah, we return to Isaiah 11 and the prophecy concerning the Root of Jesse (Isaiah 11:1-5). Jesse was the father of King David, and the root of Jesse speaks of the continuity of the Davidic Kingdom. When Isaiah declared these words, times were bleak. The Davidic throne was in peril. Soon the city of Jerusalem and its temple would be leveled and burned to the ground. Judah’s last king would witness the public execution of his sons, be blinded by his Babylonian conquerers, and led into exile with his shamed and shaken subjects (2 Kings 25:7).
Like a shattered and smoldering stump, Judah’s kingly line seemed like nothing but an object of scorn, and yet if you know anything about burned tree stumps, you know it is rarely the end of the story. Deep within the soil of God’s ancient promises (2 Samuel 7), the roots remain and soon shoots emerge from the blackened husk of that stump. When the angel Gabriel appears to Mary and announces that she, a virgin, will bear the Son of the Most High, he adds:
“The Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end” (Luke 1:32-33).
She walked in that promise, the long and difficult road from Nazareth to Bethlehem. This king, as the O Antiphon intones, will come with mighty power to save us from a threat much greater than death. Our mortal enemy is sin. And so, as before, Crib and Cross are united. The King is born to save, to deliver, to give victory. Born to die, his offering on Calvary was the only way to rob death and sin of their grip on our globe (1 Corinthians 15:55-57).
Respond
In the Old Testament, when someone had been delivered from death, disease or destruction they offered the Lord a Thanksgiving offering and sang a psalm. Eucharist literally means “thanksgiving” and in it, we celebrate the ultimate deliverance from our greatest enemies: sin and death. This truth causes our mouths to be filled with praise, and because of it we sing for glory! Pray aloud today’s responsorial Psalm (Psalm 71), in light of God’s saving work on our behalf, and share this good news with at least one other person today.
Rest
Let us rest in the our mighty Root of Jesse today. Let us rest in the promises of God, which are sure and faithful, no matter how a situation may appear. Invite God’s life-giving root to enter and give life to a difficult situation in your life today.
Return
Tomorrow, December 20, we will reflect on the next O Antiphon, O Key of David. Make sure you return to the Ascension Blog tomorrow if you want to read the reflection on the proper day.
The reflection for the previous title in the O Antiphon Series, O Lord, can be found here.
This post was first published on The Great Adventure Blog on December 19, 2013 and modified on December 14, 2018.
You May Also Like:
The O Antiphons Explained: A Daily Series Leading to Christmas
‘O Lord!’ – Second Day of the O Antiphon Series
Fourth Sunday of Advent
Rejoice: Advent Meditations with Mary
About Thomas Smith
Thomas Smith is the co-author of Wisdom: God’s Vision for Life, Revelation: The Kingdom Yet to Come and The Prophets: Messengers of God’s Mercy. He is an international presenter for The Great Adventure Bible Timeline. Bringing a wealth of experience and insight on the Word of God to audiences across the U.S., Thomas is a repeat guest on EWTN and Catholic radio as well as a sought after parish mission and conference speaker. Thomas Smith has taught as an adjunct professor at the St. Francis School of Theology in Denver, and is the former Director of the Denver Catholic Biblical School and the Denver Catechetical School. He lives on his family ranch in southeastern Idaho and writes for his website www.gen215.org.
Sometimes it is too easy to start fretting because things seem bleak or there is a possibility of problems. It can take a lot of work to avoid unnecessary worrying and I wish I didn’t waste so much time worrying over everything and nothing. Our parish seems to be dying through lack of practical support, community and interest. At one time it was very worrying, especially when I was focused on the material consequences. Yet, in the distance I can feel/see the winds of uplifting change gently moving in the diocese as the Bishop has rallied some of the troops, to start dealing with the spiritual malaise which is the root cause of many problems. In the meanwhile, I am trying to be ready and to patiently and prayerfully wait for it to reach the parish.
How appropriate was the picture in my mind as Samuel was looking for a king among Jesse’s sons and learned that David was a shepherd! I now understand the meaning behind the “Root of Jesse”. I will think about this episodic breakthrough whenever I see a tree stump! You are so right, the root does run deep and thrives. This is so exciting for me!
No matter how the devil tempted the people of the Old Testament, the roots of Jesse were being nourished by the Holy Spirit, unbeknownst to the people and those that ruled the Israelites.
From this “Root of Jesse”, God gave us the most magnificent gift, His Son. My knee bends with just the thought of this exceptional and loving attribute. God’s love is so incredibly awesome!
“I have been a portent to many; but thou art my strong refuge.” Psalm 71: 7 This will be my mantra for today! And I will proclaim His Word to at least one person at work!