Do you ever feel like Advent slipped by without fully engaging your heart? You’re not alone—and it’s not too late to refocus! In this episode, Dr. Sri explores the rich tradition of praying the O Antiphons, a beautiful part of the Church’s evening prayer and Liturgy that dates back to the early Church.
These 7 powerful titles of Christ—prayed before the Gospel in the days leading up to Christmas—invite us to cry out for God to come and act in our lives. Dr. Sri dives into their meaning and discusses how they can help refocus our minds, hearts, and souls on what matters most in these final days of Advent.
Snippet from the Show
“There is a rich theology and spirituality centered around these 7 titles of Christ”
Shownotes
“
o Antiphons
December 17th:
O Wisdom of our God Most High,
guiding creation with power and love:
come to teach us the path of knowledge!
December 18th:
O Leader of the House of Israel,
giver of the Law to Moses on Sinai:
come to rescue us with your mighty power!
December 19th:
O Root of Jesse’s stem,
sign of God’s love for all his people:
come to save us without delay!
December 20th:
O Key of David,
opening the gates of God’s eternal Kingdom:
come and free the prisoners of darkness!
December 21st:
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.
December 22nd:
O King of all nations and keystone of the Church:
come and save man, whom you formed from the dust!
December 23rd:
O Emmanuel, our King and Giver of Law:
come to save us, Lord our God!
Short Prompt for Reflection on the O Antiphons
Quote from The Golden Legend for reflection: “Before the coming of God in the flesh, we were ignorant, subject to eternal punishment, slaves of the devil, shackled with our sinful habits, lost in darkness, exiled from our true country, our heavenly homeland. Hence, the ancient antiphons announce Jesus in turn as our teacher, our redeemer, our liberator, our guide, our enlightener, and our savior.”
- In what way does the title of the “O Antiphons” express the longing of our hearts for God?
- What are we without Jesus?
Resources
- Visit Dr. Sri’s website at www.edwardsri.com and to book online events with Dr. Sri email events.edwardsri@gmail.com
- Find more of Dr. Sri’s episodes at www.ascensionpress.com/allthingscatholic
- Ascension is pleased to offer our new and improved online bible study programs and sacramental preparation programs digitally to help you minister with flexibility. Go to www.ascensionpress.com to view all our offerings
Dr. Edward Sri is a theologian, well-known Catholic speaker, and author of several best-selling books. His work with Ascension includes study programs such as A Biblical Walk Through the Mass, No Greater Love: A Biblical Walk Through Christ’s Passion and Mary: A Biblical Walk with the Blessed Mother. Several of Dr. Sri’s programs were filmed on-site in the Holy Land, and feature immersive video explorations of the sacred sites where Jesus, Mary, and the Apostles lived and died.
Dr. Sri is the host of the acclaimed Ascension podcast All Things Catholic with Dr. Edward Sri. Together with Curtis Martin, Dr. Sri is a founding leader of the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS), of which he serves as senior vice president of Apostolic Outreach.
Dr. Sri lives with his wife Beth and their children in Colorado.
