O Sapientia.

For Roman Catholics who pray the Divine Office, this is the evening when the first of the seven 'O Antiphons' is recited at Vespers. In the above video, you can hear tonight's antiphon, O Sapientia, sung by CantArte Regensburg under the direction of Hubert Velten.

Addressing the expected Messiah with the various titles given to him in the Old Testament - 'O Wisdom, who came from the mouth of the Most High,' 'O Lord and Ruler of the House of Israel,' 'O Root of Jesse,' 'O Key of David,' 'O Dayspring,' 'O King of the Nations,' 'O Emmanuel' - the O Antiphons help create a sense of heightened anticipation in the last seven days preceding the Feast of the Nativity. To learn more, consult Fr. Z's "O Antiphon" Page for details of the history, scriptural sources and spiritual significance of these treasured prayers.

Having given the last of my three final exams, I am now deciphering blue books and beginning to calculate cumulative semester grades for all of my students. Given the task that I'm focused on this weekend, the invocation found in the antiphon O Sapientia strikes me as particularly apt: O Wisdom, who came from the mouth of the Most High, reaching from end to end and ordering all things mightily and sweetly, come and teach us the way of prudence. AMDG.