Would you ever say that you "long" for God? It's the theme of a lot of the Psalms.
"You, God, are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you,
my whole being longs for you..."
Psalm 63:1
We've now reached the point in Advent when the Church deepens its expression of our longing for Jesus' return and our longing for the coming of God's Kingdom in all its fullness.
Between now and Christmas Eve in the Catholic tradition, we use a sequence of "Advent antiphons". These help us to express our longing for Jesus and what it is about him that we're longing for.
An 'antiphon' is simply a sentence, usually a Bible verse. Sometimes it's a sentence based on one or two Bible verses. It's called an 'antiphon' because it's recited before and after a psalm or song from the Bible. It's like the header and footer, and it's a bit like reciting a memory verse or a thought for the day.
Every day, those who pray 'Evening Office' or 'Evening Prayer' recite the song that Mary sang when she visited Elizabeth because it's so rich with meaning. Between now and Christmas Eve, before and after we recite this song of Mary, we'll also recite an Advent antiphon. The antiphon will change each day to help us reflect on different aspects of Jesus and his coming:
17th Dec O Wisdom
18th Dec O Lord
19th Dec O Root of Jesse
20th Dec O Key of David
21st Dec O Dayspring (i.e. dawn)
22nd Dec O King of the Nations
23rd Dec O Emmanuel (God with Us)
The Advent antiphons are all based on Bible passages that describe the Messiah. Traditionally the antiphons were in Latin but many of us recite them in English now. Each antiphon begins with us calling out to Jesus. This is why they're sometimes called the "O Antiphons"! We then use one of his titles, praise him for who he is and what he does, and we call out for him to come to us.
If you'd like to hear what they sound like when sung, here are some monks singing the first Advent antiphon in Latin. The translation is "O Wisdom, coming forth from the mouth of the Most High, reaching from one end to the other, mightily and sweetly ordering all things, come and teach us the way of prudence." O Sapientia (O Wisdom) sung
How might you express your longing for Jesus in your own words?
Are there any Bible verses you know that help you express that longing?