O come, desire of nations, bind
In one the hearts of all mankind.
Bid thou our sad divisions cease
And be thyself our Prince of Peace.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!
My favorite part of Advent is reading all the Old Testament texts that foreshadow the coming of Christ. As I prayed with Ezekiel 37: 21-28 I found it fascinating because I knew the passage was foreshadowing Christ the King! The prophet Ezekiel is telling his listeners what The Lord told him: that a great King, like David, will come and gather together all the kingdoms. "They will be my people and I will be their God."
G.K. Chesterton, as well as Fr. Edward Oaks, SJ (scholar & professor of Theology at the University of St. Mary of the Lake/ Mundelein Seminary who just passed away) loved looking at great paradoxes of Christianity. The King of Kings lowered himself to being born in a barn. His bed was a tiny manger, his robes were swaddling clothes, his crown was made of thorns, and his throne would become a cross. How do we know he's a King? Because he fought the greatest battle ever on the cross and won. Because kingdoms have been brought together in his name. All are saved under Christ the King and all share in his wonderful kingship who also share in his wonderful gift of the Eucharist...the greatest treasure of the King of Kings.
O King of nations, and their Desired, the Cornerstone who make all one: come and save our race, whom you formed out of clay. Amen
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