Advent Daybook, 16: O Sapientia, (Wisdom)
An Advent daybook for these 24 days of prayerful expectation. Join me, won't you?
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Look: A Cosmic Shroud, Hubble Space Telescope image
11th Annual Hubble Space Telescope Advent Calendar: A Cosmic Shroud. This Hubble image shows a compact star-forming region called S106 in the constellation Cygnus, some 3,300 light years away from the Earth. A newly-formed star called S106 IR is hidden within swirls of dust at the center of the image, and is responsible for the surrounding gas cloud’s hourglass-like shape and the turbulence visible within. Light from glowing hydrogen is colored blue in this image. source
O Sapientia: O Wisdom, who didst issue out of the mouth of the most High, and dost reach from one end of the world to the other, mightily and sweetly ordering all things: Come and teach us the way of prudence.
Read this post for an overview of praying the O Antiphons the week leading up to Christmas.
Listen: “Creator of the Stars of Night”, Gregorian Chant for Advent & Christmas, Gregorian Chant Schola of Saint Meinrad Archabbey
Spotify | YouTube
Listen to my entire playlist on Spotify: Advent Carols & Hymns 2018. Add it to your account by clicking ‘Follow.’
“Does not wisdom call,
Does not understanding raise her voice?
The Lord created me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old. Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth. When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water. Before the mountains had been shaped before the hills, I was brought forth; before he had made the earth with its fields, or the first of the dust of the world. When he established the heavens, I was there, when he drew a circle on the face of the deep, when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep, when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth, then I was beside him, like a master workman; and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always, rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the sons of men.
And now, my sons, listen to me: happy are those who keep my ways. Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it. Happy is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors. For he who finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord; but he who misses me injures himself; all who hate me love death.”
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”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.”
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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.
And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.”
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”For consider your call, brethren; not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth; but God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong, God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom, our righteousness and sanctification and redemption; therefore, as it is written, ‘Let him who boasts, boast of the Lord.’
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”In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
Pray in song the second verse of O Come, O Come Emmanuel:
“O come, O Wisdom from on high,
who orders all things mightily;
to us the path of knowledge show,
and teach us in her ways to go.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel
shall come to you, O Israel.”
Do:
Listen
Spend 5-15 minutes in complete silence, listening to God.
“Happy is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors.” (Prov. 8:34)
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.
Listen to O Sapientia Advent antiphon and sonnet by Malcolm Guite by clicking through to his website, or pressing the play button below.
(See all Advent Daybook posts from 2017 here.)