The Rising Dawn as Christmas Approaches: O Oriens
Is this amazing? I snapped this one early, early morning in the summer of 2009 over the battlefield at Gettysburg, where my family was touring. Does it not symbolize and honor today's title for our Savior, O Rising Sun.......? It's just perfect, I thought.
This was taken right near that tragic spot by the copse of trees that General Lee intended to be his victory location. Remember that? And right near the spot where General Amistad fell. The latter is my favorite Civil War figure. Heroism personified.
O Oriens / O Rising Sun
December 21st: O Radiant Dawn, you are the splendor of Eternal Light and the sun of Justice. O come and enlighten those who sit in darkness and in teh shadow of death.
Today as we enjoy our advent reading and reflect on today's O Antiphon, we will remember a few family members who have left the Church and truly need the Lord's enlightenment to return. The boys keep saying, "We don't think this is gonna work..." But we keep trying. It's been quite some time and there is no move for those who have left to come back. But we have to keep asking and asking and praying and praying.
Hopefully if the monsoon raging out there subsides, we will stroll through the neighborhood and enjoy the Christmas lights in honor of today's O Antiphon, as well...
And here are a few times recently when we have reveled in the Lord's beauty at a new day: This is dawn over Badlands National Park in South Dakota, during our trip there in summer of 2012. Beautiful, no?
Of course, this verse in "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel," signifies the Messianic title of today's Great O Anitphon:
O come, Thou Dayspring from on high,
And cheer us by thy drawing nigh;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night.
And death's dark shadow put to flight
Here's a shot of the Rising Dawn over Gettysburg National Battlefield
in the Summer of 2009~
"Light" from our campfire that night at Artillery Ridge Campground~
Also, July 2009. The boys seem so much littler here, only three years ago.
And just because this is so gorgeous, I have to share one more time:
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