THE ‘O’ ANTIPHONS: O Rex Gentium – 22nd December

O REX GENTIUM – 22nd DECEMBER

FAMILY CEREMONY:

The family, together, say the Great Antiphon, followed by The Magnificat, and repeat the Antiphon at the close of evening prayer, or Vespers.

ANTIPHON O REX GENTIUM, et desideratus earum, lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum: veni, et salva hominem, quem de limo formasti.

O KING OF THE GENTILES and the desire thereof, Thou cornerstone that makest both one: come and deliver mankind, whom Thou didst form out of clay.

MAGNIFICAT
My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God, my Saviour.

For He hath regarded the humility of His handmaiden: For behold, from henceforth, all generations shall call me blessed. For He that is mighty hath done great things to me, and holy is His name.And His mercy is from generation unto generations upon them that fear Him. He hath shewed might in His arm. He hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their hearts. He hath cut down the mighty from their seat and hath exalted the humble. He hath filled the hungry with good things and the rich He hath sent empty away.he hath received Israel, His servant, being mindful of His mercy. As He spoke to our father, Abraham, and his seed, forever.

Magnificat anima mea Dominum, et exultavit spiritus meus in Deo salvatore meo, quia respexit humilitatem ancillae suae.Ecce enim ex hocd beatam me dicent omnes generationes, quia fecit mihi magna, qui potens est, et sanctum Nomen eius, et misericordia eieus in progenies et progenies timentibus eum.fecit potentiam in brachio suo, disp[ersit superbos mente codi sui; deposuit potentes de sede et exaltavit humiles; ensurientes implevit bonis et divites dimusit inanes.Suscepit Israel purum suum, recordatus misericordiae, sicut locutus est ad patres nostros, Abraham et semini eius in saecula.

[Isaiah had prophesied, For a child is born to us, a son is given us; upon his shoulder dominion rests. They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:5), and He shall judge between the nations, and impose terms on many peoples. They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; one nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again. (Isaiah 2:4)]