skip to main
|
skip to sidebar
Dominican Nuns Ireland
Visit Our Website
:
Home Page
;
Reflections
;
Icons
;
Vocations
;
Retreat House
;
Videos
Thursday, December 18, 2014
The "O" Antiphons - 17th December 2014
O Sapientia
Here is the text of a reflection given by one of our sisters on today's Magnificat Antiphon, which invokes Christ as
Wisdom (Sapientia).
(If you prefer to listen, click the 'play' button in the box below).
This evening we sing at Vespers the first of the seven ‘O’ Antiphons – “O Wisdom!”
With these antiphons we reach the climax of the Advent Liturgy.
To quote from the ‘Catechism of the Catholic Church’ (CCC): “When the Church celebrates the liturgy of Advent each year, she makes present this ancient expectancy of the Messiah, for in sharing in the long preparation for the Saviour’s first coming, the faithful renew their ardent desire for His second coming.” (CCC 524)
Our first “O” antiphon translates from the Latin:
‘O Wisdom, coming forth from the mouth of the Most High,
reaching from end to end, mightily and sweetly ordering all things:
Come and teach us the way of prudence.’
In this antiphon we call on Eternal Wisdom, which is personified in the
Logos
, the eternal Word of the Father, through Whom the world was made and in the fullness of time took flesh in the womb of the Virgin Mary, by the power of the Holy Spirit.
“Reaching from end to end of the universe, mightily and sweetly ordering all things.”
Here we see the Wisdom of God in His providential care of our world.
God cares for all from the least things to the greatest.
I’m sure each of us here can see the hand of Divine Providence in their lives, as it says in the Book of Deuteronomy, “The L
ORD
carried you as a man carries his child, all along the road you travelled” (
Dt 1:31b
).
Often it is in the small events of daily living that we see and are touched by the loving hand of Providence – some matter inadvertently overlooked is providentially taken care of; or maybe a couple of events coincide and it is too late to intervene, then unexpectedly one of the parties cancels the appointment or another is delayed in traffic or the like, so all can be easily taken care of.
This reminds us of what Jesus Himself says in the Gospel: “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny and not one falls to the ground without your Father knowing it.
As for you, the hairs of your head are all numbered.
So do not be afraid: you are worth more than hundreds of sparrows” (cf.
Mt 10:29-31
).
The marvellous doctrine of Divine Providence gives us the greatest confidence in our heavenly Father’s care of us.
But what shall we say of the great evil and violence that has existed in the world since the first parents?
… and which we have been witnessing in recent months?
Today’s news brings another horrific story of suffering of the innocent in the violence and massacres in
Pakistan
.
To try to say something, to quote
St Augustine
,
“For the Almighty God, who, ... has supreme power over all things, being Himself supremely good, would never permit the existence of anything evil among His works, if He were not so omnipotent and good that He can bring good even out of evil
.”
[2]
The death and Resurrection of Jesus has demonstrated powerfully the victory of God over evil – the greatest and worst – so we can trust God, Who
‘… in everything .. works for good for those who love him …”
(
Rom 8:28
).
It is in Jesus the Babe of Bethlehem that we see God’s surpassing Wisdom and
Providence
.
He is eternal Wisdom come among us as one of us to redeem and save us.
So in our antiphon we cry out, “Come and teach us the way of prudence.”
Some of us might consider that a very prosaic request to make of Eternal Wisdom.
The virtue of prudence sometimes has negative overtones in peoples’ minds.
The
Catechism
seems to have anticipated that for it says, “Prudence is not to be confused with timidity or fear, nor with duplicity of dissimulation” (CCC 1806).
It says, ‘Prudence disposes the practical reason to discern in every circumstance our true good and to choose the right means of achieving it” (CCC 1835).
I think it could be summed up in the Prayer after Communion that occurs frequently during Advent, which prays that, “we judge wisely the things of earth and love the things of heaven.”
No comments:
Post a Comment
Newer Post
Older Post
Home
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Vocation Weekends
Whom do you seek?
We seek God, Who alone gives meaning to our lives. Communion with Christ and with one another in love, through a life of prayer centred on Jesus, the Word of God and on the Eucharist, is the focus of our community life.
Single young women attracted to this way of life are welcome to contact us and we will arrange for a visit or some days in our retreat house - either at weekend or during the week. If a few are interested at same time, and if agreeable to all, we can also arrange for a group to spend a few days together.
For further information see our main
website
contact us
Time-table
Weekdays
06.55 - Morning Prayer
08.30 - Eucharist followed by Terce
12.30 - Mid-day Prayer & Rosary
15.00 - Office of Readings (except Tuesday)
18.30 - Evening Prayer
20.30 - Night Prayer
Sundays, Holy Days & Bank Holidays
09.00 Eucharist
Eucharistic Hour
Fridays 7.30 - 8.30 p.m.
All are welcome
to join our community for a silent hour of Eucharistic Adoration - praying for world peace, the protection of human life and the renewal of the Church in Ireland.
Once a month (usually on the last Friday of the month) - a guided Eucharistic Hour to pray for vocations to religious life and priesthood and in particular for vocations to our own community.
You are also welcome to stay on and pray Compline (Night Prayer) with us at 8.30.
Way of the Cross
Way of the Cross - reflections
Way of the Cross - scripture meditations
Way of the Cross with Julian of Norwich
Icons
To learn more about our icon writing and to view samples of icons: Click image
Greeting Cards
To order greeting cards visit our card dept on the main website
View our Card Catalogue
Interesting Websites
Dominican Order's international site
Dominicans Interactive
Irish Dominican Province
Dominican Nuns' international news bulletin
About Me
Drogheda, Ireland
View my complete profile
My Blog List
Witness Christ: Walking through life with God
-
It has been a long time since I really posted anything on my blog... It has been two years now since my ordination, and so many things have happened. So ma...
8 years ago
Irish Dominican Vocations
Diaconate Ordinations 2015
-
The Irish Province of the Dominicans rejoiced at the ordination to the Diaconate of six of its student brothers. Br's David McGovern, Damian Polly, Ronan C...
10 years ago
Rosary Priest
Seeds of life
-
It may come as a surprise to you, to know that in the original Mass of the Rosary as celebrated by Dominicans, the Gospel text is that of the Sower who g...
14 years ago
Moniales Ordinis Praedicatorum
-
Blog Archive
►
2018
(21)
►
August
(6)
►
July
(3)
►
June
(1)
►
May
(1)
►
April
(2)
►
March
(4)
►
February
(2)
►
January
(2)
►
2017
(20)
►
December
(4)
►
November
(1)
►
October
(1)
►
August
(7)
►
July
(2)
►
May
(1)
►
March
(2)
►
February
(1)
►
January
(1)
►
2016
(29)
►
December
(9)
►
November
(1)
►
October
(2)
►
August
(11)
►
July
(1)
►
June
(1)
►
April
(2)
►
March
(1)
►
February
(1)
►
2015
(34)
►
December
(8)
►
August
(5)
►
July
(2)
►
June
(3)
►
May
(4)
►
April
(5)
►
March
(2)
►
February
(3)
►
January
(2)
▼
2014
(46)
▼
December
(9)
We are on "Christmas with Miriam"
Christmas Reflection
O Antiphons - 23rd December 2014
O Antiphons - 22nd December 2014
O Antiphon - 21st December
O Antiphon – 20th December 2014
O Antiphons - 19th December 2014
O Antiphons - 18th December 2014
The "O" Antiphons - 17th December 2014
►
November
(3)
►
October
(2)
►
September
(1)
►
August
(10)
►
July
(6)
►
June
(1)
►
April
(4)
►
March
(3)
►
February
(3)
►
January
(4)
►
2013
(55)
►
December
(13)
►
November
(2)
►
October
(1)
►
September
(2)
►
August
(4)
►
July
(2)
►
June
(9)
►
May
(2)
►
April
(8)
►
March
(3)
►
February
(6)
►
January
(3)
►
2012
(59)
►
December
(12)
►
November
(3)
►
October
(1)
►
September
(4)
►
August
(8)
►
July
(3)
►
June
(4)
►
May
(2)
►
April
(11)
►
March
(6)
►
February
(4)
►
January
(1)
►
2011
(59)
►
December
(12)
►
November
(2)
►
October
(2)
►
September
(1)
►
August
(9)
►
July
(8)
►
June
(5)
►
May
(5)
►
April
(2)
►
March
(5)
►
February
(4)
►
January
(4)
►
2010
(53)
►
December
(12)
►
November
(4)
►
October
(3)
►
September
(2)
►
August
(4)
►
July
(2)
►
June
(5)
►
May
(4)
►
April
(5)
►
March
(3)
►
February
(4)
►
January
(5)
►
2009
(55)
►
December
(10)
►
November
(3)
►
October
(1)
►
September
(1)
►
August
(3)
►
July
(3)
►
June
(2)
►
May
(3)
►
April
(18)
►
March
(7)
►
February
(4)
Followers
No comments:
Post a Comment