O Radix Jesse: O Root of Jesse



Chartres Cathedral in France has some amazing stained glass. This photo is of the Jesse window, created about 1150 A.D., one of the few windows that survived the fire of 1194. Jesse was the father of King David into whose family Jesus was born many generations later.

The 3rd of the Advent O Antiphons (refrains) sung with the Magnificat (song of Mary) at Evening Prayer today is 'O Radix Jesse' meaning 'O Root of Jesse'. One of the Bible passages on which it is based is Isaiah 11: 1 - 11 which begins:
"A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse,
and a branch shall grow out of his roots.
The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him,
the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the spirit of counsel and might,
the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord."
An English translation of the original Latin antiphon for today is:
"O Root of Jesse, standing as a sign among the peoples;
before you kings will shut their mouths,
to you the nations will make their prayer:
Come and deliver us and delay no longer."
Listen to 'Heartsongsearchers' version on Youtube, embedded below:








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