Wednesday, December 19, 2012

O Rex Jesse

O Root of Jesse, who stands for an ensign before the people, before whom kings are mute and to whom the gentiles shall seek: Come quickly to deliver us.


With the passing of Superstorm Sandy last month we found that many trees that we thought were well rooted, were unable to take on the winds of the storm and they fell.  And yet there were many trees no one thought would survive which still stand.

Life is like that.  We make decisions each day as to what and where we want to take root.  Some spend more time pruning their branches to look perfect, while paying no attention to where they are rooted.

Where have you planted yourself and your family?  How fertile is your soil?  Something to think about on this third day of the O Antiphons.  


 O come, Thou Root of Jesse’s tree,
An ensign of Thy people be;
Before Thee rulers silent fall;
All peoples on Thy mercy call.

Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

2 comments:

Meredith Gould said...

Wow, these O Antiphon meditations are totally great this year.

Gotta say the picture is heartbreaking. Something about uprooted trees, especially old ones upsets me to the core. Years ago I wept when I lost two aging White Pines during a Nor'easter that raged through Princeton.

Fran said...

What imagery, the uprooted tree - and the idea of roots put down. Some seem so secure, yet they are not. Others, keep hold. How do we plant ourselves? What do we consciously do about how rooted we are?

Thank you for this, thank you.