O
Root of Jesse, standing as a sign among the peoples;
before
you kings are speechless,
to
you the nations will make their prayer:
Come
and deliver us, and delay no longer!
We chant this evening’s
antiphon, acclaiming Jesus as “Root of Jesse.” And we recall that he is the
Origin and Source of all our good, all our hope, all our longing. This antiphon
is a kind of gloss on the words of the prophet Isaiah:
On
that day,
The
root of Jesse,
set
up as a signal for the peoples—
Him
the nations will seek out;
his
dwelling shall be glorious.
On
that day,
The
Lord shall again take it in hand
to
reclaim the remnant of his people
…He
shall raise a signal to the nations
and
gather the outcasts of Israel...
Jesus is truly the One who
gathers and joins together in hope all peoples, scattered by hopelessness, hate
and fear. As we name his “Root of Jesse,” we pray especially for all refugees.