December 19
THIRD
ANTIPHON
O
radix Jesse, qui stas in siguum populorum, super quem continebunt reges os suum,
quem gentes deprecabuntur: vem ad liberandum nos, jam noli tardare.
O
Root of Jesse, who standest as the ensign of the people; before whom Kings
shall not open their lips; to whom the nations shall pray: come and deliver us;
tarry now no more.
At length, O Son of Jesse! thou art approaching the city of thy ancestors.
The Ark of the Lord has risen, and journeys, with the God that is in her, to the
place of her rest. How beautiful are thy steps, O thou daughter of the Prince,
now that thou art bringing to the cities of Juda their salvation! The Angels
escort thee, thy faithful Joseph lavishes his love upon thee, heaven delights
in thee, and our earth thrills with joy to bear thus upon itself its Creator
and its Queen. Go forward, O Mother of God and Mother of Men! Speed thee, thou Propitiatory
that holdest within thee the divine Manna which gives us life! Our hearts are
with thee, and count thy steps. Like thy royal ancestor David, we will enter
not into the dwelling of our house, nor go up into the bed whereon we lie, nor
give sleep to our eyes, nor rest to our temples, until we have found a place in
our hearts for the Lord whom thou bearest, a tabernacle for this God of Jacob. Come, then, O Root of Jesse! thus hid in this
Ark of purity.
Blessed is the womb of the Virgin Mary, which bore the invisible God:
there did He deign to dwell, whom Seven Thrones cannot hold: And she bore him
as a light weight in her womb. The Lord hath given him the throne of David his
father, and he shall reign in the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom
there shall be no end: And she bore him as a light weight in her womb.
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