Come, O Come Emmanuel

O come, O Wisdom from on high,

Embracing all things far and nigh:

In strength and beauty come and stay;

Teach us your will and guide our way.

The “O Antiphons” have been part of the church’s worship for many centuries. In some traditions, one verse is sung or read each of the last seven days of Advent (December 17 through 23). Each antiphon expresses a deep, nearly inexpressible yearning of the human spirit for release, healing, guidance, peace, joy, or new life.

The cry for Wisdom’s embrace rang ‘round the globe on Monday, December 17, the day of the first funerals for victims of the shooting in Newtown, Connecticut.

The need is so great, yearnings run so deep, after something like the Newtown shooting. Hearts are broken. Spirits ache. Whole communities wonder “Why?” and individuals wrestle with “If onlys.” Ire rises. Bewildered minds seek answers. Blame slips from trembling lips and through Facebooking fingers and into broadcast and newsprint commentary. Whole communities cry for change, demand action. And we cry out…

O come, O Wisdom, embracing all things far and nigh:

In strength and beauty come and stay. Teach us your will and guide our way.

Wisdom, not raw reactivity, will guide us in the way of peace. Strength and beauty will provide more permanent and fruitful companionship for this journey than unfettered fear or ugly accusation ever could. Humility, not arrogance or strident stubbornness, will teach and guide us well.

Perhaps this and the other O antiphons can lead us forward through the post-Newtown fog. They call us to allow space in our hearts and our gatherings (as church, as family, as friends, as civilians) for the full-throated expression of our own deepest longings and the sighs too deep for words of the people of Newtown and of all the suffering people in the world who stare at the horizon looking for a way forward.

We make this space through prayer…praying the antiphons (see Hymn #257 in Evangelical Lutheran Worship, see below)…praying the psalms (especially psalms of lament)…praying the liturgies (such as Evening Prayer).

We make such space by walking together…listening…sharing…sitting in silence…lighting candles…singing...sharing peace…holding trembling hands.

We can make such space for the hurt of the world because we trust that if the cradled Christmas child offers anything, he offers the promise of healing, reconciliation, and joy right now, right here where he is born, in the midst of the world’s deepest sorrows, hurts and mysteries. For he is Wisdom, Lord of Might, Branch of Jesse, Key of David, Dayspring, King of Nations, Emmanuel who walks with us, with the people of Newtown – with all the suffering ones of the world – in compassionate companionship every step of the groping journey toward tomorrow’s promised light.

The Advent longing is deep. The Christmas promise is sure. We pour out our hearts and we proclaim the promise, entrusting all broken hearts to the babe of Bethlehem. 

Rejoice; Emmanuel shall come.

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December 17

O come, O Wisdom from on high,

Embracing all things far and nigh:

In strength and beauty come and stay;

Teach us your will and guide our way.

December 18

O come, O come, O Lord of Might,

As to your tribes on Sinai’s height

In ancient times you gave the law

In cloud, and majesty, and awe.

December 19

O come, O Branch of Jesse, free

Your own from Satan’s tyranny;

From depths of hell your people save,

And give them victory o’er the grave.

December 20

O come, O Key of David, come,

And open wide our heav’nly home;

Make safe the way that leads on high,

And close the path to misery.

December 21

O come, O Dayspring, come and cheer;

O Sun of justice, now draw near

Disperse the gloomy coulds of night,

And death’s dark shadow put to flight.

December 22

O come, O King of Nations, come,

O Cornerstone that binds in one:

Refresh the hearts that long for you;

Restore the broken, make us new.

December 23

O come, O come, Emmanuel,

And ransom captive Israel,

That mourns in lonely exile here

Until the Son of God appear.

“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” Evangelical Lutheran Worship #257