Pray the “O Antiphons,” December 17th through 23rd

Winfield, David, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Those who wish to draw others into the divine life of Jesus Christ in the Church must first be deeply immersed in that life themselves. Catholic evangelists must pursue holiness, and one of the most effective ways to do that is by making the liturgical prayers of the Church their own. When we pray the prayers of the liturgy, we pray in a uniquely intimate union with the Church—the Bride of Christ. For this reason, attending daily Mass (or at least regular weekday Masses) is a powerful spiritual practice. So too is sanctifying the hours of the day by praying the Liturgy of the Hours, even if only in part.

But even when you do not—or cannot—pray the full Liturgy of the Hours or attend daily Mass, you can still draw from these universal prayers to cultivate a heart formed by the Church’s voice. The liturgy gives us language that aligns our desires with Christ’s own. It teaches us how to long, how to hope, how to repent, how to rejoice. It tutors the soul in love.

One of the simplest and richest ways to enter this liturgical rhythm is the ancient practice of the seven O Antiphons. These antiphons, prayed in the final days of Advent from December 17–23, have been part of the Church’s life for roughly twelve centuries. Each antiphon draws on biblical titles and images that express Israel’s deep longing for the Messiah. Though Christ has come in the flesh, we still await His return in glory—and Advent unites us with the people of Israel, who waited for His first coming. At the same time, we await His coming to us anew in the mysteries of His Nativity and in the great manifestations of the Christmas season, which culminate in the Epiphany and the Baptism of the Lord. We long for Him to come to us now, to be born afresh within our hearts and to reveal Himself to us with renewed clarity. The O Antiphons help us cultivate this longing of the Bride for her Bridegroom.

The Church uses the O Antiphons each day from December 17th to 23rd, both in Evening Prayer (Vespers) of the Liturgy of the Hours and in the Mass. Each day has its own antiphon:

December 17 – O Wisdom of our God Most High, guiding creation with power and love: come to teach us the path of knowledge!
December 18 – O Leader of the House of Israel, giver of the Law to Moses on Sinai: come to rescue us with your mighty power!
December 19 – O Root of Jesse’s stem, sign of God’s love for all his people: come to save us without delay!
December 20 – O Key of David, opening the gates of God’s eternal Kingdom: come and free the prisoners of darkness!
December 21 – O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice: come and shine on those who dwell in darkness and in the shadow of death!
December 22 – O King of all nations and keystone of the Church: come and save man, whom you formed from the dust!
December 23 – O Emmanuel, our King and Giver of Law: come to save us, Lord our God!

There are many fruitful ways to pray with these antiphons. In my home, we read the antiphon of the day around the Advent wreath in the evening, pray the concluding prayer from that day’s Vespers, and then sing the corresponding verse from the hymn “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” which is built directly on the O Antiphons. It is a simple practice, but one that roots our family in the Church’s prayer and gives Advent its true character of longing.

In addition, I like to take time each day to pray lectio divina using a Scripture passage paired with the day’s antiphon. For example, on December 19th—O Root of Jesse—I might meditate on Isaiah 11:1–10, which begins with that title and unveils the identity, gifts, and mission of the promised King. These Scriptural pairings deepen the antiphons and draw you into the biblical world from which they arise.

Antiphons for Evangelists

For evangelists, the O Antiphons are not merely seasonal devotions—they are training in desire. They teach us to long for Christ with clarity, urgency, and affection. Evangelization is not ultimately about strategies or techniques; it is about hearts burning for the Lord and igniting the same fire in the hearts of others. If we preach a Messiah we barely yearn for, our words will ring hollow. But if we long for Him sincerely, our testimony becomes more compelling.

The O Antiphons sharpen this longing. They give us the Church’s own cry: Come!
Come with gifts of wisdom, power, freedom, and light.
Come as King. Come as God-with-us.

And when we take up that cry, we become the kind of disciples who can awaken longing in others. The evangelist is most effective when he or she becomes a living echo of the Bride’s voice. Praying the O Antiphons each Advent is a small but potent way to become that voice—one that calls the world to look for Christ, to hope for His coming, and to prepare Him room in the heart.