Daily Catholic Lectio
Sat, 21 December ‘24
Advent Weekdays
Song of Songs 2:8-14. Luke 1:39-45
O Oriens, come!
The fifth ‘O Antiphon’ that we reflect on today is ‘O Oriens, come!’. ‘Oriens’ could be rendered as ‘East,’ ‘Dawn,’ or ‘Morning Star.’ The antiphon underlines that God is the ‘radiance of the eternal light’ (cf. Wis 7:26), and ‘sun of justice’ (Mal 3:20).
For the first reading we have a choice. The reading from the Song of Songs (2:8-14), brings before us two love poems – one from the beloved (female) and another from the lover (male). The advent of the lover gives joy to the beloved. When the advent is unexpected the joy is doubled. The beloved, who is longing for love, wishes that his lover comes to meet her. The lover comes to meet the beloved in haste.
The beloved, after having spent a long night with fond thoughts of her lover, upon opening the door of her house, finds her lover at the door. The beloved identifies the lover as the dawn or the sun in the East.
In the reading that is taken from Zephaniah (3:14-17), the prophet, calling the city of Jerusalem, as daughter, invites her to rejoice. In Hebrew the city is rendered as feminine. Here feminine characteristic of fertility is referred to. The city is called to rejoice because her king comes to visit her. The arrival of the king will bring along peace and prosperity.
In the gospel reading we read the narrative of the visitation. Elizabeth, who opens her door in the morning, is surprised to see Mary there. Mary stands as the dawn from the East. In earlier days, houses were built facing the East. Elizabeth sees the Sun and the Mary together. John who is in the womb of Elizabeth shouts for joy, because he recognized the ‘sunrise that visits us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace’ (cf. Lk 1:78).
Elizabeth embraces Mary shouting aloud, ‘O Oriens,’ ‘O Dawn,’ ‘O Morning Star!’ Mary’s greeting makes John leap in the womb of his mother. And Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit.
Saint Ambrose, reflecting on the narrative says, “A person who is filled with the Holy Spirit will always rise and run to the heights; s/he will be dynamic, not lethargic; and s/he will spread joy wherever s/he goes.” Mary’s joy is contagious. Elizabeth sees in Mary the Mother of the Lord; she appreciates her for her faith; and she acknowledges the impact that Mary’s visitation created in her.
In the light of these readings, what is the message of the antiphon ‘O Oriens’?
Our God is the God of surprises. When we open the door of our hearts we find him there. When we long for him he surprises us; when we run from him he shocks us.
In the Messianic reading, the rabbinic believe was that the Messiah would enter the city of Jerusalem through her Eastern gate. The Messiah was called as the Dawn. The wise men from the East come to Jerusalem to look for ‘the king of Jews.’ Jesus, after his death, rose as the Sun from the East (Easter).
‘O Oriens, remove the darkness from our lives.’
Let our prayer today be:
‘O Oriens, Rising Dawn (Jer 23:5; Zech 3:8; 6:12); Radiance of the light eternal (Hab 3:4; Wis 7:26; Heb 1:3) and Sun of Justice (Mal 3:20). * Come, and enlighten those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death (Ps 107:10; Lk 1:78).
Fr. Yesu Karunanidhi
Archdiocese of Madurai
Missionary of Mercy
Yesu Karunanidhi 
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