Late Advent 4th O Antiphon

4th O Antiphon:

And scepter of the house of Israel,
Thou openest and no man dare shut,
Thou shuttest and no man dare open,

COME
Lead from prison, the fettered one,
The dweller in darkness and the shadow of death.

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: 
Sent: Sun, 19 December, 2010 19:15:27
Subject: Advent 4 Monday

Mary said, "I am the handmaid of the Lord, let what you have said be done to me".

The beginning of our Redemption lies in the decree of the Father to send his only Son. In this divine decree was included the free decision of Mary to accept the task of becoming the Mother of the Son of man.

Her word was in a true sense the beginning of the Church. Augustine says that Mary is indeed the Mother of Christ and his members, that is, of ourselves. It is by her work of love that men have been born in the Church, We are faithful men and women who are the body of the head, whose mother she was in the flesh.

We are the men who ‘seek the face of the God of Jacob’. But as we are imprisoned by sin we need the Key of David to open our prison gate. “The maiden is with child”. Mary’s “full of grace”virginity, guarantees our freedom. 

We seek the face of God in Mary.

 

Bidding Prayer:                        

Father, with the grace of the Holy Spirit, May we say ‘Yes’ to all the demands of your love through Christ our Lord.