O Radix Jesse - 19th December 2015

 

“O Root of Jesse

who stand for a sign for the people;

before whom kings are silent;

whom the nations bessech:

Come to deliver us, no longer delay.”

 

Jesse was the father of David and JESUS is the Son of David.

When Jesus was on His missionary travels and one day came to Jericho, a blind man – who heard that is was Jesus, the great healer – called out,

“Son of David, have pity on me!” (cf Mk 10:46ff)

Jesus called him, and restored his sight immediately.

There are a few other Gospel passages where people looking for healing call out to Him as “Son of David.”

God’s promise to David was that his descendants would occupy the throne till the Promised One would come.  The angel Gabriel said to Mary,

“The Lord God will give Him the throne of His ancestor, David.”

(Lk 1:32)    

In the antiphon we hear: “… before whom kings are silent and the nations beseesch.”

He was not recognised by the ‘kings,’ by the people in authority: but the poor and needy people came to Him.  Those in authority should have known Him, for they knew their Scripture better than the common folk: Isaiah says (11:2):

“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 the fear of the Lord.” 

The miracles He worked should have pointed Him out as the Promised Messiah.

There is a beautiful passage at the end of the Apocalypse, where Jesus identifies Himself thus:

“I am the root and the offspring of David,

the bright morning star.” (22:16)

He doesn’t say, “I am the Son of God,” or “I am the second Person of the Blessed Trinity.”  No.  Let us ponder the humility of the Eternal Word of God who identifies Himself as one of us, a man: “I am the offspring of David.”

Come, O LORD, to deliver us: no longer delay.