O Wisdom, Come! Advent Daybook 19
This week we are adoring Jesus by praying the prophetic names of the O Antiphons. Read this post for an overview.
O SAPENTIA (WISDOM )
Pray: O Wisdom, O holy Word of God, you govern all creation with your strong yet tender care: Come and show your people the way to salvation.
Look: Trone de la sagesse (Throne of Wisdom), Arcabas - Source
Listen: Advent Antiphons: No. 1: O Sapientia, Queens' College Choir, Cambridge - Spotify | YouTube
Latin:
O Sapientia, quae ex ore Altissimi prodiisti,
attingens a fine usque ad finem,
fortiter suaviterque disponens omnia:
veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiae.
English:
O Wisdom, coming forth from the mouth of the Most High,
reaching from one end to the other,
mightily and sweetly ordering all things:
Come and teach us the way of prudence.
Read:
A Reading from Isaiah 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."
A Reading from Baruch 3: 9, 3:13 -15, 3:32 - 4: 4
"Hear the commandments of life, O Israel; give ear, and learn wisdom! If you had walked in the way of God, you would be dwelling in peace for ever. Learn where there is wisdom, where there is strength, where there is understanding, that you may at the same time discern where there is length of days, and life, where there is light for the eyes, and peace. Who has found her place? And who has entered her storehouses?
But he who knows all things knows her, he found her by his understanding. He who prepared the earth for all time filled it with four-footed creatures; he who sends forth the light, and it goes, called it, and it obeyed him in fear;
the stars shone in their watches, and were glad; he called them, and they said, “Here we are!” They shone with gladness for him who made them.
This is our God; no other can be compared to him! He found the whole way to knowledge, and gave her to Jacob his servant and to Israel whom he loved. Afterward she appeared upon earth and lived among men. She is the book of the commandments of God, and the law that endures for ever. All who hold her fast will live, and those who forsake her will die.
Turn, O Jacob, and take her; walk toward the shining of her light. Do not give your glory to another, or your advantages to an alien people. Happy are we, O Israel, for we know what is pleasing to God."
Pray: Read Malcolm Guite's sonnet and then sing the first verse of O Come, O Come, Emmanuel as today's prayer.
I cannot think unless I have been thought,
Nor can I speak unless I have been spoken.
I cannot teach except as I am taught,
Or break the bread except as I am broken.
O Mind behind the mind through which I seek,
O Light within the light by which I see,
O Word beneath the words with which I speak,
O founding, unfound Wisdom, finding me,
O sounding Song whose depth is sounding me,
O Memory of time, reminding me,
My Ground of Being, always grounding me,
My Maker’s Bounding Line, defining me,
Come, hidden Wisdom, come with all you bring,
Come to me now, disguised as everything.
Sing:
O come, thou Wisdom from on high,
Who orderest all things mightily;
To us the path of knowledge show,
And teach us in her ways to go.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel
Do: Today, spend 15-20 minutes in complete silence, listening for God.
Because of Christ and the Holy Spirit, we are able to converse with our Creator God. Today, put yourself on the listening side of the conversation. Don’t strive or analyze; just sit in quiet and notice what comes to your mind and heart. Trust God to speak in love and truth.
