Scripture: John 12:27-36

Oriens is the Latin word for “dawn,” used in the earliest Latin translation of Luke 1:78 (“By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us”). It connects with all of the Biblical imagery of Jesus as light in the darkness. It’s a theme recurs throughout Johns gospel, and although it’s a very glorious title for Christ, it entails a rather dire assessment of the state of the world; namely, that apart from Christ, all of us are fumbling around in the darkness. In John 12, the light to which Jesus implores the crowd to come (vv.35-36) is specifically the light of the cross. In calling this his “hour,” Jesus identifies the cross as being at the very center of his purpose in coming to this earth. It’s the cross in which our judgment is dealt with (v.31a), by which Satan is defeated and disarmed (v.31b), and to which lost sinners are drawn out of darkness into the eternal light of salvation (v.32). And having seen the light, we now long all the more for Christ’s return when his light will chase away every last shred of darkness. Come, O Come, O Oriens.

This Advent, we’ll be looking at five (of seven) names for Jesus that Christians have meditated on every Advent since about the sixth century.  These names come from what are known as the “O Antiphons” (short chants that all begin with the word “O” and are used antiphonally (i.e. responsively)).  The “O” that begins each antiphon expresses the sense of longing that’s characteristic of Advent. Their origin is unknown, but much of their imagery is borrowed from Isaiah.  In some traditions they are recited or sung every year in the days leading up to Christmas.  We know these antiphons best through their paraphrase in the hymn O Come, O Come Emmanuel.  To enhance our longing for the return of Christ, we will meditate on him this season as O Sapientia (Wisdom), O Adonai (Lord), O Clavis (Key), O Oriens (DayStar), and O Emmanuel (God with Us).

Each week, our worship will make use of both the antiphons themselves (available HERE) and poems by Malcolm Guite which are based upon them.