He Will Come
“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; for he has come to his people and set them free. He has raised up for us a mighty Savior, born of the house of his servant David.”
(Lk 1:68-69)
For the past several days, we have considered the O Antiphons, which highlighted the different titles of the Messiah. The O Antiphons were mostly in use by monks in the early centuries and were in use liturgically in Rome by the 800’s. The monks, it was said, ordered the antiphons with a specific purpose in mind. If you start with the last title, working backwards to forwards, and take the first letter of each title — Emmanuel, Rex, Oriens, Clavis, Radix, Adonai, and Sapientia — you will discover the Latin words: ero cras which are translated, “Tomorrow, I will come.”
This day belongs, in a very real way, to children. Throughout the world, children embody the anticipation that Christmas Eve evokes. There is a palpable tension in the air. “The day” is so close that it is almost unbearable. Children peer at the tree, waiting for presents to arrive or, if they have already arrived, waiting for the opportunity to open their gifts.
We wait for the celebration of the greatest gift of all: the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. His birth changed the course of human history. It righted our way as He prepared to steer us toward His Kingdom. The celebration of Christmas is a celebration of mirth, life, and love. I pray that your Advent journey has put you in a good position to celebrate Christmas and all the promises it brings.
We have spent a little over three weeks of Advent preparing for the celebration of Christmas, which is tomorrow. “Tomorrow, I will come.” Yes! Come, Lord Jesus, come.
FAITH ACTION: Prayerfully consider the lyrics of the Advent Hymn, People Look East for the Lord, truly, is on the way!
People, look east. The time is near
Of the crowning of the year.
Make your house fair as you are able,
Trim the hearth and set the table.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the guest, is on the way.