Sitting in Stillness as We Await the Radiant Dawn

 Originally published for Wisdom Dwelling.com on Dec. 21, 2024

A tradition of the Church that was started in the eighth century and continues today is the recitation of the “O Antiphons” during these final days of Advent. The O Antiphons are phrases that refer to the coming of Christ and are titles given to the Messiah from the Old Testament. The O Antiphons are recited at Mass and also during Evening Prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours during the praying of the Magnificat.

The antiphon for December 21 is traditionally:

“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”.

This image of light is a perfect one as we approach the great feast of Christmas. Jesus, the Incarnation, is the light being sent into the darkness of earth. As John the Evangelist mentions in the opening of his Gospel: “the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5). Hopefully, during this Advent, we have been able to cultivate some of this light through our prayer and in our relationships so that we can help bring Christ’s light to one another this Christmas season.

The readings for today talk about joy and give us other images for the love and light of Christ. There are two options for today’s first reading. One option is a passage from Song of Songs often used at weddings in which a bride proclaims that her bridegroom is “like a gazelle or a young stag” and that he calls to her exclaiming, “Arise, my beloved, my beautiful one, and come!” (Song of Songs 2: 9-10).

The book of Song of Songs can often be a curious one. I am a middle school Scripture teacher and my students are usually wide-eyed when we read passages from this book. Many wonder, “why is this in the bible? What does it have to do with God?” The book of Song of Songs and its characters of the bride and bridegroom are meant to represent the Church and her relationship with Christ. The Catholic Church is often referred to as “the bride of Christ” and the book of Song of Songs gives us many loving visuals of Christ’s affection for His Beloved Church.

The themes of light and joy are ones that many of us think of as we draw nearer to the time of gathering with family to celebrate the Light and Joy of God made flesh in our world. However, for some, the holidays can sometimes feel dark. The man-made expectations to celebrate in a specific way or the tension brought about by the sinfulness in our own families can sometimes overwhelm us. I myself struggle with the physical darkness that winter brings. My body and spirit can sometimes give into the seasonally affected sadness from the lack of sun and warmth this time of year. That image of the “Radiant Dawn” of the O Antiphon can maybe seem far away.

However, the good news is in that of the aforementioned line of John’s gospel. Even if we feel ourselves in darkness, the Light of Christ is always more powerful, “and the darkness has not over it”. If we are sitting in a season of darkness, we may not think of ourselves as the beautiful, beloved one the Bridegroom is calling to in Song of Songs, but the truth is He is calling out to us to “Arise” even if we don’t feel it.

So how can we truly embrace our call as the Beloved of Christ and feel the light and joy of this upcoming Christmas season? I have come to learn that there is a beauty, even in the darkness of winter. Winter brings about a stillness that is just as needed in our lives as the hum of work and busyness. In a world that is so mobile, we need the stillness of winter perhaps even more to give us time to welcome Christ. By sitting in that stillness, rather than rushing past it, we can come to see the light and the joy within it. If we take some time to actually sit and contemplate with the Bridegroom, especially as we grow nearer to the celebration of His Coming, we may be more ready when He calls out to us to “Arise!”

So in these last days of Advent, may we sit in stillness and contemplate Christ’s joy and light, so that we can respond to Him: “O Radiant Dawn” this Christmas.