BIBLE STUDY: NOVEMBER & DECEMBER 2007

On each Tuesday evening during November and December we are holding a Bible Study session in preparation for Advent and Christmas. The Bible texts will be based on the "Great O Antiphons" which, for the past thirteen centuries, have been sung as antiphons to the Magnificat at Vespers in the seven days before Christamas Eve (i.e. from 17th to the 23rd December). The antiphons all begin with 'O'. This is not normal in Latin, and is used only in solemn invocations.

Those who attend the Thurday evening Mass at Our Lady & St Peter's will be familiar with the solemn chanting of 'O' before the invocations of Mary at the end of the 'Salve Regína' (Hail Holy Queen). We dwell on 'O' before 'clemens' (clement); then we dwell rather longer on 'O' before 'pia' (loving) and even longer on the 'O' before 'dulcis Virgo María' (sweet Virgin Mary). We linger on the 'O' as we contemplate each of the epithets of Mary: clemens, pia, dulcis.

Likewise the opening 'O' of these antiphons concentrates our minds on an invocation of Our Lord:

• Sapiéntia (Wisdom)
• Adonái (Adonai)
• Radix Jesse (Stock of Jesse)
• Clavis David (Key of David)
• Óriens (Rising Sun)
• Rex géntium (King of the nations)
• Emmánuel (Emmanuel)

The opening invocation is expanded by other references from the Old Testament; this is followed by a petition begining with 'veni' (come!).

We read in the 'Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church':

21. What is the importance of the Old Testament for Christians?
Christians venerate the Old Testament as the true word of God. All of the books of the Old Testament are divinely inspired and retain a permanent value. They bear witness to the divine pedagogy of God's saving love. They are written, above all, to prepare for the coming of Christ the Saviour of the universe.

These antiphons are rich in Old Testament references, preparing us for the coming of Jesus, both as the Incarnate Word at Christmas and as Lord and Judge on the Last Day. Therefore as we prepare ourselves for the coming of our Saviour, let us visit again the Old Testament through these solemn antiphons which Holy Church has used since at least the 8th century.

As we read from the Sacred Scriptures during these Bible Study sessions, let us be mindful of the words of the 'Compendium of the Catechism'"

19. How is Sacred Scripture to be read?
Sacred Scripture must be read and interpreted with the help of the Holy Spirit and under the guidance of the Magisterium of the Church according to three criteria: 1) it must be read with attention to the content and unity of the whole of Scripture; 2) it must be read within the living Tradition of the Church; 3) it must be read with attention to the analogy of faith, that is, the inner harmony which exists among the truths of the faith themselves.

It is important when we read from the Bible, to pay attention to the content and unity of the whole of scripture. It is a mistake to treat each book of Scripture in exactly the same way. The Bible is a library of seventy three different books (46 in the Old testament and 27 in the New Testament). These books were written at different times, in different places, in different languages (Hebrew, Aramaic & Greek), by very different people, for different purposes and in different genres. As in these two months we read, mainly from the Old Testament, let us try and understand the context in which the passages were written and how they bear witness to the divine pedagogy of God's saving love. Let us do this with the help of the Holy Spirit and under the Guidance of the Magisterium of the Church, as we prepare ourselves for the coming of Christ the Saviour of the universe.

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Each week during November and December the Tuesday study will be posted on this site as soon as possible after the Bible Study session, and the antiphon for the following Tuesday will also be given.