Day seven of the O Antiphons brings us to O Emmanuel, the final and climactic prayer of Advent. After naming Christ as Wisdom, Lord, Root, Key, Light, and King, the Catholic Church now proclaims the heart of the mystery: God is with us. O Emmanuel gathers every longing of Advent and reveals that God did not remain distant. He entered our world, took on flesh, and chose to dwell among us.

Rooted in the prophecy of Isaiah and fulfilled in Jesus Christ, O Emmanuel declares that salvation is not abstract or far away. God comes close. He stays. He saves from within our human experience.

In this video, we reflect on:
The meaning of O Emmanuel in Scripture
Isaiah’s prophecy and its fulfillment in Christ
What it means that God is truly with us
The O Antiphon prayer for today
How this prayer completes the journey of Advent

The O Antiphons are prayed from December seventeen through December twenty three during Evening Prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours. Each antiphon names Jesus Christ using a prophetic title and leads the Church step by step toward Christmas.

If you are new to this series, be sure to watch the earlier videos where we unpack the history of the O Antiphons and how Catholics have prayed them for centuries.

I hope this reflection helps you receive the gift of Christ’s presence more deeply this Christmas and beyond.

Be sure to check out the playlist where we unpack the Scriptures. This is where I walk through the Sunday Mass readings and where you will find all the videos in this O Antiphon series.