Antiphon
O Clavis David

O Key of David and sceptre of the House of Israel;
you open and no one can shut;
you shut and no one can open:
Come and lead the prisoners from the prison house,
those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.
(cf Isaiah 22.22, 42.7)

Readings (Click the links to see the readings)

Isaiah 7.10-14 | Ps 24.1-6 | Luke 1.28-38

Advent 1994
Anne Hine rscj

"And John sent asking
Are You the One we are looking for?" We have so tinsel-towned the story
that God's inbreaking Love'
ceases to amaze us.
We know the words so pat
The Angel declared
and Mary said. That God should so love the World
To seed, fruit, bear that Love
nine months
enwombed
till she brought forth
The First born,
God's love manifest. What is it?
How is it?
To bear God's Love? Easier to seek and name it outside
but to bear it humanwise
To see it in another's eyes
— in the tenderness of lovers touch —
— in the intimacy of heart —
though Emmanuel — God-with-us.
wished it so
Is it not amazing? The Word is made Flesh.

Prayer

Heavenly Father,
who chose the Blessed Virgin Mary
to be the mother of the promised saviour:
fill us your servants with your grace,
that in all things we may embrace your holy will
and with her rejoice in your salvation;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

"The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you." Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be." Luke 1.28-29

Fra Angelico. The Annunciation, from the Cortona altarpiece, 1434. Museo Diocesano, Cortona.

Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber (1644-1704). Das Rosenkranz sonaten for violin and continuo (1764), no. 1 in D minor C90 "The Annunciation". Liza Ferschtman, violin. Mahan Esfahani, cembalo. Risør Chamber Music Festival, Norway, 2016.