Sixth O Antiphon: O Rex Gentium (December 22nd)
The O Rex Gentium is the sixth Antiphon of the O Antiphons, prayed on December 22th of Advent.
The meditation portion is not part of the O Antiphons, but is found in Dom Guerenger’s The Liturgical here. It is simply included here for your spiritual enrichment.
Sixth Antiphon: O Rex Gentium
O Rex gentium, et desideratus earum, lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum; veni, et salva hominem quem de limo formasti.
Translation: O King of nations, and their desired One, and the cornerstone that makes both one; come and save man whom thou formed out of slime.
Pray the O Antiphon & the Magnificat
The Magnificat
| Antiphon: O Rex gentium, et desideratus earum, lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum; veni, et salva hominem quem de limo formasti. 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. Repeat Antiphon | Antiphon: O Key of David, and sceptre of the house of Israel! who opens, and no man shutts: who shuts, and no man opens; come, and lead the captive from prison, sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death. My soul doth magnify the Lord. And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. Because He hath regarded the humility of His slave: 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 shewed 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 Spirit, As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, forever and ever, Amen. Repeat Antiphon |
Meditation
O King of nations! Thou art approaching still nearer to Bethlehem, where Thou art to be born. The journey is almost over, and Thy august Mother, consoled and strengthened by the dear weight she bears, holds an unceasing converse with Thee on the way. She adores Thy divine Majesty; she gives thanks to Thy mercy; she rejoices that she has been chosen for the sublime ministry of being Mother to God. She longs for that happy moment when her eyes shall look upon Thee, and yet she fears it. For, how will she be able to render Thee those services which are due to Thy infinite greatness, she that thinks herself the last of creatures? How will she dare to raise Thee up in her arms, and press Thee to her heart, and feed Thee at her breasts?
When she reflects that the hour is now near at hand, in which, being born of her, Thou will require all her care and tenderness, her heart sinks within her; for, what human heart could bear the intense vehemence of these two affections—the love of such a Mother for her Babe, and the love of such a creature for her God? But Thou supports her, O Thou the Desired of nations! For Thou, too, longs for that happy birth, which is to give to the earth its Savior, and to men that cornerstone, which will unite them all into one family. Dearest King, be Thou blessed for all these wonders of Thy power and goodness! Come speedily, we beseech Thee, come and save us, for we are dear to Thee, as creatures that have been formed by Thy divine hands. Yea, come, for Thy creation has grown degenerate. It is lost and death has taken possession of it. Take Thou again into Thy almighty hands, and give it a new creation. Save it, for Thou has not ceased to take pleasure in and love Thine own work.
From The Liturgical Year, by Dom Guerenger
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