O Oriens "O Rising Sun"

The Old Testament Title for Jesus for December 21 is "O Oriens". This has many ways it could be translated: O Rising Sun, O Dayspring, O Morning Star, or sometimes O Dawn.

This is a beautiful reflection because the Rising sun has always been a symbol of the Resurrection of Christ. In fact, in worship Christians initially always faced EAST when they worshipped at Mass. Before 1970 people would say that the priest said Mass with his back to the people. This was missing the entire point. What was really happening was the priest was facing the SAME direction as the people. All the People were facing east to the rising Sun, the sign of the Resurrection. All the early Churches were built to face east.

Later on when churches where build to fit into city planning they no longer faced east, however the priest and the people continued to face in the same direction to worship God.

Here is the Antiphon for today:
O Rising Sun,
splendour of light eternal and sun of righteousness:
Come and enlighten those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.


peace