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O Come Emmanuel
Over the past six days, I’ve been discussing the Seven O’s of Advent: seven little hymns, each sung on one of the seven days leading up to Christmas Eve. They remind us about the character of the coming Messiah.
Today’s antiphon is O Emmanuel. Emmanuel means God with us. As you have read the antiphons that I’ve included in the past six posts you may have noticed something familiar about them. If you listen to the hymn O Come O Come Emmanuel, you will hear many of those antiphons in its lyrics.
We are just a day away from Christmas Eve. It won’t be long now and we will be celebrating Christmas. You may be anticipating seeing family during the holidays; either traveling to see them or having them join you at your home. Or you may be looking forward to attending a special party or gathering. That feeling of anticipation, as we look forward to being those whom we love is a feeling worth holding on to; even after Christmas is past. The promise of the Savior coming doesn’t end with Christmas. As Christians, we also anticipate with joyful hope the return of our Savior Jesus Christ. We don’t know the hour or the day. Until then, we daily make ready for His return and we pray O Come Emmanuel.
O Emmanuel
O Emmanuel, our king and our lawgiver, the hope of the nations and their Savior: come and save us, O Lord our God.
See Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:22-23
+The Anglican Anchoress