The "O" Antiphons

Even for those who are familiar with the "O Antiphons" it still might come as a shock that they begin today. We are on the final descent of our four week flight to Christmas, indeed a week from today will be Christmas Eve! These traditional antiphons, sung in Latin to simple but soulful Gregorian Chant, have been treasured for centuries and survive in the vernacular with much of their elegance and beauty. They are sung or recited before and after the Magnificat at Vespers, or Evening Prayer, as it is commonly called today. The familiar Advent hymn, O Come, O Come Emmanuel, paraphrases them and is more well-known than the originals. Today's addresses the Holy Spirit as "Wisdom", and reads thus: O Wisdom, you came forth from the mouth of the most High and reached from end to end, and disposed of all things sweetly and mightily: come and teach us the way of prudence.
I write today from Esopus, New York, where I am on what we are calling a Marist Marine Adventure Retreat with 20 Central students. The students are acquiring wisdom and knowledge to help them grow in the Spirit, in prudence, and in their understanding of what it means to be a Marist student through arduous and challenging physical tasks. This is a fitting time and place for such an experience. Buried not far from our activities are the Marist Brothers, including our four most recent, Brothers Raoul Molnar, Victor Serna, Valerian T. Doiron and Edward Vollmer, whose lives were spent spreading wisdom, knowledge and the love which we are celebrating at Christmas. This property still serves as the seat of formation for Marist novices, and the spiritual formation of students who come here on retreats and Encounters. Wisdom has found a place here and disposes sweetly and mightily the gifts of God to those who seek them. No matter where we are today, let us beg for the wisdom we need to learn the way of prudence and knowledge.
Bro. Rene