O Rex gentium et desideratus earum,
lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum,
veni
et salva hominem, quem de limo formasti.

‘King of the nations and their desire,
cornerstone, who make both one,
come
and save man, whom you formed from mud.’

Throughout Advent we have been focussing on the One who is coming, Jesus Christ, Son of the Eternal Father, whose birth we celebrate at Christmas. In these final days all the desires of the whole human race are gathered together and given expression in the seven ‘O’ Antiphons sung each night at Vespers.

We have considered Christ as Wisdom, Lord, Root of Jesse, Key to history, Rising Sun of Justice. Now we reflect that he is the one we all desire.

In this, the sixth of the seven, the intensifying longing can be heard in the three emphatic ‘ah’ sounds in desideratus, angularis and utraque. The King who is coming is the one who will fulfil our hope for reconciliation, peace, life full of meaning and without end, life with God Himself, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

The images are from the Prophet Isaiah, from Saint Paul and from the creation account in Genesis.
They almost demand visual expression.

Imagine a film:

The camera shows first the glorious King then moving out sweeps around the world. We see people of every nation and of all faiths in their wonderful diversity, ancient and contemporary, old and young, rich and poor, male and female. We sense their yearning from their outstretched hands and expectant faces.

The focus narrows to a single feature, a cornerstone that merges into a cross.

Veni!      The sound begins as voices take up the cry, one by one. The camera moves out in step with the thrilling crescendo, taking in the whole panorama.

Salva! Our attention is drawn to the one hanging on the cross. We see the love in his eyes and follow his gaze. He is looking at a single figure, Adam, not an individual but Man, humankind, and we know that his purpose from all eternity has always been to rescue his beloved creature and to bring him to himself.

He has come and he will most surely come again.

Veni!

Sr Mary Peter

Text and artwork ©Stanbrook Abbey 2024