"O come, thou Key of David, come and open wide our heav'nly home,
Make safe the way that leads on high, and close the path to misery."
The original O Antiphon text is a clear echo of the Canticle of Zechariah, or Benedictus, that Zechariah sings in Luke's Gospel to celebrate the birth of his son, John the Baptist. John, he declares, will be a prophet of God Most High, sent to prepare for the visit of the "dawn from on high" that will break upon us to free those who dwell in darkness and in the shadow of death. Recall Isaiah, too, that magnificent passage proclaimed at Midnight Mass, about the people who dwell in darkness having seen a great light.
What does it mean to dwell in darkness and in the shadow of death? Any number of things, really. Ignorance. Sin. A conviction that we are worthless. Very possibly not something within us, but a situation in which we find ourselves. An abusive, unloving family. It's different for each one of us. What a wonderful time of year to reflect on that "dawn from on high" coming to visit us and shatter these chains of darkness: the days are short and light is precious. It's as if nature itself is giving us a visual to help us appreciate the coming of Jesus to "lead (his) captive people into freedom."
No comments:
Post a Comment