Ember Saturday in Advent

Saturday 19 December 2009

SABBATO QUATUOR TEMPORUM
Ember Saturday in Advent
2nd Class, Violet
(Lauds II, Preces at Lauds only;
Mag. Ant. 'O Radix';
1st Vespers of IV Sunday Advent)

Oremus.

Deus, qui cónspicis, quia ex nostra pravitáte afflígimur : concéde propítius ; ut ex tua visitatióne consolémur : Qui vivis et regnas.

Let us pray.

O God, who seest us to be sorely afflicted by reason of the frailty of our mortal nature : grant, we beseech thee, that we may be relieved by thy gracious visitation.

Who livest and reignest with the Father.

~~*~~

"O Radix Jesse"

"O Root of Jesse, which standest for an ensign of the people, at whom kings shall stop their mouths, whom the Gentiles shall seek: Come and deliver us, and tarry not."

Most commonly the following passages are cited as sources for this:
he following passages as sources:

Isaias 11:1: And there shall come forth a rod out of the root of Jesse, and a flower shall rise up out of his root.

Isaias 11:10: In that day the root of Jesse, who standeth for an ensign of the people, him the Gentiles shall beseech, and his sepulchre shall be glorious.

Micha 5:1: Now shalt thou be laid waste, O daughter of the robber: they have laid siege against us, with a rod shall they strike the cheek of the judge of Israel.

However, Isaiah 11:10, Romans 15:12, and Revelation 5:5, are also sometimes cited.

Dom Guéranger reflects:

"Go forward, O Mother of God and Mother of Men!......our hearts are with thee and count thy steps.....Come, then, O Root of Jesse thus hid in this ark of purity; thou wilt soon appear before thy people as the 'standard' around which all that would conquer must rally. Then, their enemies, the kings of the world, will be silenced, and the nations will offer thee their prayers. Hasten thy coming, dear Jesus! come and conquer all our enemies and deliver us."

Here is a recording of the Antiphon, courtesy of the Oxford Dominicans:

Links:

• Goffine, The Church's Year, Ember Saturday in Advent
• What Does the Prayer Really Say?
• NLM: The Tree of Jesse (new!)
• NLM: Saturday of Twelve Lessons (new!)
  

(image: catholic-resources.org, illustrating Lk. 3:1-6, the Gospel for both this and the IVth Sunday in Advent)