LATIN VERSION

ANTIPHON: O Oriens, splendor lucis aeternae, et sol justitiae: veni, et illumina sedentis in tenebris, et umbra mortis. 

THE MAGNIFICAT:
Magníficat ánima mea Dóminum.
Et exultávit spíritus meus: in Deo salutári meo.
Quia respéxit humilitátem ancíllae suae:
Ecce enim ex hoc beátam me dicent omnes generatiónes.
Quia fécit mihi mágna qui pótens est: et sánctum nómen eius.
Et misericórdia eius in progénies et progénies timéntibus eum.
Fécit poténtiam in bráchio suo: dispérsit supérbos mente cordis sui.
Depósuit poténtes de sede: et exaltávit húmiles.
Esuriéntes implévit bonis: et dívites dimísit inánes.
Suscépit Ísrael púerum suum: recordátus misericórdiae suae.
Sicut locútus est ad patres nostros: Ábraham, et sémini eius in saecula.
Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto,
Sicut erat in princípio, et nunc, et semper, et in sæcula sæculórum. Amen. 

ANTIPHON: O Oriens, splendor lucis aeternae, et sol justitiae: veni, et illumina sedentis in tenebris, et umbra mortis.

V. Domine, exaudi orationem meam.
R. Et clamor meus ad te veniat.

OREMUS: Aurem tuam, quaesumus, Domine, precibus nostris accommoda: et mentis nostrae tenebras gratia tuae visitationis illustra. Qui vivis et regnas cum Deo Patre, in unitáte Spíritus Sancti, Deus, per ómnia sǽcula sæculórum. 
R. Amen.

                                                  ENGLISH VERSION

ANTIPHON: O Dawn, brightness of eternal light and sun of justice: come and illumine those sitting in darkness and the shadow of death! 

THE MAGNIFICAT:
My soul doth magnify the Lord.
And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.
Because He hath regarded the humility of His handmaid:
For behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
Because He that is mighty hath done great things to me; and holy is His name.
And His mercy is from generation unto generations, to them that fear Him.
He hath shown might in His arm:
He hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.
He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble.
He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich He hath sent empty away.
He hath received Israel His servant, being mindful of His mercy:
As He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to His seed for ever.
Glory be the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost,
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, forever and ever, Amen.

ANTIPHON: O Dawn, brightness of eternal light and sun of justice: come and illumine those sitting in darkness and the shadow of death! 

V. O Lord hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come unto Thee.

LET US PRAY: O Lord, we beseech thee, mercifully incline Thine ears unto our prayers, and lighten the darkness of our minds by the grace of Thy heavenly visitation. Who livest and reignest with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end.
R. Amen

Click on the PDF file link below and download a Letter Size (8.5 x 11 inch) poster on today's O Antiphon: O Oriens

Each day's Antiphon will have its own poster.
The Gregorian Chant notation is at the top of the page, followed by few brief meditative thoughts upon the relevance of the Antiphon for our days.

A wonderful keepsake that you will use year after year.
Our Christmas gift to you!

ORIENS means "dawning" or “rising” like the “rising sun”, or “the dawning of the day” when the sun drives away the darkness of the night. We will even you the phrase: “It dawned on me!” meaning, “I finally understood!” 

“And this is the declaration which we have heard from Him, and declare unto you: 'That God is light, and in Him there is no darkness'” (1 John 1:5). God Himself came, in the person of Jesus, to dispel the darkness of our minds and hearts. “For God, Who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Christ Jesus” (2 Corinthians 4:6). With Jesus, the darkness of my mind can be removed and I can see His truths clearly in the light. Hence, too, the expression: "See the light!"  St. Paul says: "For you were heretofore darkness, but now light in the Lord. Walk then as children of the light” (Ephesians 5:8).

Jesus is that light that helps us see clearly the dangers and darkness of this world. He says: “I am come a light into the world; that whosoever believeth in Me, may not remain in darkness ... I am the Light of the world ... the true Light, which enlightens every man ... He that follows Me, walks not in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 12:46; John 8:12; John 1:9).  “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (John 9:5). “'Whilst you have the light, believe in the light, that you may be the children of light.' These things Jesus spoke; and He went away, and hid Himself from them” (John 12:36).

“The people that sat in darkness, hath seen great light: and to them that sat in the region of the shadow of death, light is sprung up” (Matthew 4:16). “To the righteous a light is risen up in darkness: he is merciful, and compassionate and just” (Psalms 111:4).  “Jesus therefore said to them: 'Yet a little while, the light is among you. Walk whilst you have the light, that the darkness overtake you not. And he that walketh in darkness, knoweth not whither he goeth'” (John 12:35).

Sadly, most people prefer the darkness to the light; they like sin more than virtue:  “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. … In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. And the Light shineth in darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. … That was the True Light, which enlighteneth every man that cometh into this world. He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own, and His own received Him not. But as many as received Him, He gave them power to be made the sons of God, to them that believe in His Name ... and men loved darkness rather than the Light: for their works were evil” (; John 1:1-11; John 3:19)  "For every one that doth evil hateth the light, and cometh not to the light, that his works may not be reproved” (John 3:20).

“But he that doth truth, cometh to the light, that his works may be made manifest, because they are done in God” (John 3:21). Do we let Jesus shine the light of His wisdom in our life? Do we “see the light” ? Do we follow the light?  “You are a chosen generation, a kingly priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people: that you may declare his virtues, who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light”  (1 Peter 2:9).

“The fruit of the light is in all goodness, and justice, and truth” (Ephesians 5:9). “If we walk in the light, as he also is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

“Again a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true both in him and in you; because the darkness is passed, and the true light now shineth. He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. He that loveth his brother, abideth in the light, and there is no scandal in him” (1 John 2:8-10).

Yet Jesus also said of us: “You are the light of the world. A city seated on a mountain cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a basket, but upon a candlestick, that it may shine to all that are in the house.” (Matthew 5:14-15). We also are the "light of the world" just like Jesus; for we a children of the light. At our baptism, we were given a lighted candle to symbolize that very fact. We must not be afraid of showing our Faith and the fact that we are "children of the light." “The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear?” (Psalm 26:1).

Do not be ashamed of your religion or of being religious. Light the candle of your Faith for all to see and don’t hide it in fear or shame, or keep it to yourself. Jesus said if we deny Him on earth, He will deny us in Heaven (Matthew 10:33). The light of our Faith is meant for the whole world. As Jesus further says: “So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father, Who is in Heaven”  (Matthew 5:16).