Sunday, December 21 – “O Dayspring, Splendor of Eternal Light”

Scripture

“In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country,

where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard

Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy

Spirit and exclaimed, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your

womb.’” Luke 1:39-45

Reflection

Today’s O Antiphon joyfully declares: “O Dayspring, Splendor of eternal light and

Sun of justice: come and enlighten those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.”

The meeting of Mary and Elizabeth is one of the most radiant moments in Scripture.

Two women, both carrying miraculous life within them, encounter one another, and all

creation seems to leap for joy. The unborn John recognizes the presence of the Redeemer;

the mother of the Forerunner greets the Mother of the Lord. Darkness gives way to light,

silence to song, and fear to faith.

Christ is the rising sun who scatters the shadows of sin and death. His coming is not

just the arrival of a new day, but the dawning of the new creation. The light that shines in

Mary’s womb is the light that will one day conquer the grave.

Advent calls us to be bearers of that same light. Like Mary, we are to bring Christ’s

presence to others in joy and haste. Like Elizabeth, we are to recognize and rejoice in His

presence wherever it appears. When we allow Christ to shine through us, in patience,

mercy, and faith, we become rays of the eternal Dayspring in a shadowed world.

As members of the EOHSJ, this O Antiphon also recalls the physical light of the

Holy Land, the light that once fell upon Bethlehem, Nazareth, and the empty tomb. Your

mission is to keep that light alive, to ensure that the “Sun of Justice” continues to rise over

those sacred places and over all who believe.

Prayer

O Dayspring, Splendor of eternal light and Sun of justice, come and illumine the

darkness of our hearts. Shine upon those who sit in the shadow of death, and make us reflect

Your radiant light in our world. Amen.

Meditation Question

Where do I most need the light of Christ to shine within me? How can I bring His

warmth and brightness to someone living in darkness today?