Today we begin the great O Antiphons with the cry:
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.
This prayer reminds us that Christ is not only the child of Bethlehem, but the eternal Wisdom through whom all things were made. Wisdom is portrayed here as both powerful and gentle—stretching across creation, yet ordering all things with sweetness. It is a vision of harmony: God’s plan unfolding not in chaos, but in balance and care.
As Advent enters its final days, O Sapientia invites us to pause and trust that God’s Wisdom is already at work in our lives. Even when our days feel scattered or uncertain, Christ is weaving meaning, guiding us toward prudence—that deep discernment which helps us choose paths of justice, mercy, and communion.
Interestingly, O Sapientia appears in the calendar of the Book of Common Prayer in somewhat cryptic fashion. Without knowing the history of the O Antiphons, its presence there can be puzzling. The BCP preserves the date—17 December—but offers little explanation, a quiet witness to the older liturgical tradition that shaped Anglican prayer. For those unfamiliar with the medieval practice of chanting the O Antiphons in the days before Christmas, the reference may seem obscure. Yet it is a reminder that the Prayer Book carries within it echoes of the wider Christian heritage, even when the meaning is not immediately clear.
The Incarnation is not an accident, but the fruit of divine Wisdom. In Christ, God’s ordering presence enters the world, embracing our humanity and drawing us into harmony with the divine. Today’s antiphon is a reminder that wisdom is not abstract knowledge, but a living presence—Christ himself, who comes to dwell with us and teach us the way of life.
NeuroDivine 
Leave a comment