O Restrained Joy! O Sapientia!

In the Church today is traditionally known as Gaudete Sunday and is one of the two days in the liturgical year that the priest wears the color rose. The Advent season, being one of restraint, preparation and penance, is primarily represented by the color purple. Today, however, our anticipatory joy is less restrained. During this final octave before Christmas, we find ourselves pleading for our Saviour to come. These prayers arise through the beautiful antiphons-the O Antiphons-offered during the Vespers and during the Gospel Acclamation.

On each of these "Golden Nights," we address Christ with a unique title which comes from the prophesies of Isaias and Micah. These are the titles used throughout the week:

Sapientia

Adonai

Radix

Jesse

Clavis

David

Oriens

Rex

Gentium

Emmanuel

According to Fisheaters.com, "those initials, when read backwards, form an acrostic for the Latin "Ero Cras" which means "Tomorrow I come.

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Sunday December 17: O Sapientia

O Sapientia, quæ ex ore Altissimi prodiisti,

attingens a fine usque ad finem,

fortiter suaviterque disponens omnia:

veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiæ.

O Wisdom that comest out of the mouth of the Most High,

that reachest from one end to another,

and orderest all things mightily and sweetly,

come to teach us the way of prudence!

You can listen to today's O Antiphon being chanted, courtesy of the folks at Fisheaters.com.

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This antiphon is based on the prophecies of Isaias:

Isaias 11:2-3
And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him: the spirit of wisdom, and of understanding, the spirit of counsel, and of fortitude, the spirit of knowledge, and of godliness. And he shall be filled with the spirit of the fear of the Lord, He shall not judge according to the sight of the eyes, nor reprove according to the hearing of the ears.

Isaias 28:29
This also is come forth from the Lord God of hosts, to make his counsel wonderful, and magnify justice.