O Antiphons

Barb Spies, OFS, Director of Mission Services and Pastoral Care

The Liturgy of the Hours is a prayer tradition offering prayers at seven times throughout the day starting at 3am and going till midnight. While most of us do not participate in each of those prayer times, we may have heard of some of them. Vespers, for instance, is a common term for an evening prayer service. Religious Sisters, Brothers, and Priests generally particiapte in several of these prayer times a day, sometimes in community, and sometimes on their own. Some lay people will also choose to participate in these prayers.

During the Liturgy of the Hours, the prayers consist of pslams, canticles, and readings. The psalms and canticles are introduced and concluded with an antiphon, which is a scripture based verse. During the last week of Advent, from December 17 to 23, the Liturgy of the Hours uses the O Antiphons. These special antiphons remind us that Jesus is the Messiah that has been promised from the beginning, centuries before his birth.

You might have heard these O Antiphons in the Advent hymn, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” This hymn recounts all the verses telling about the Messiah to come:

O Sapientia (O Wisdom) See Isaiah 11:2–3; 28:29.
O Adonai (O Lord) See Isaiah 11:4–5; 33:22.
O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse) See Isaiah 1:1; 11:10.
O Clavis David (O Key of David) See Isaiah 9:6; 22:22.
O Oriens (O Rising Sun) See Isaiah 9:1.
O Rex Gentium (O King of the Nations) See Isaiah 9:5; 2:4.
O Emmanuel (God with us) See Isaiah 7:14.

If you are interested in praying the Liturgy of the Hours, one of the easiest ways to participate is by using Divineoffice.org or the smartphone app iBreviary. There is also a book to follow the prayers called Christian Prayer: The Liturgy of the Hours that can be purchased. It’s a beautiful tradition.

Blessed Angela: “Every morning, as soon as you open your eyes, offer yourself to God.”