Many people know the hymn, ’O Come, O come Immanuel’, that will be sung in many churches these next few weeks. But not so many know where it comes from.

It’s based on ten short verses called the ‘Advent Antiphons’ which from ancient times are traditionally sung on the ten days running up to Christmas Day. Each verse is based on a different title for Jesus: Jesus the Messiah or Christ, meaning the Anointed One; Jesus the Wisdom of God, through whom everything was made; Jesus Adonai, the Hebrew for ‘The Lord’; Jesus the Dayspring or Morning Star, who brings in a new dawn of salvation.

Jesus the Key of David, who opens up the kingdom of God to all people; Jesus the Desire of the Nations, the one who holds the ultimate answer to the yearnings of all peoples;Jesus the Shoot of Jesse and King of Kings, the last and ultimate king in David’s line (Jesse was David’s father); Jesus Immanuel, meaning God with us, God as one of us.

Advent is that period of preparation, when we look forward to celebrating how these Old Testament prophecies were finally fulfilled in the birth of Jesus at Christmas.

This year, don’t let Christmas come too soon and crowd Advent out. Preparing spiritually is important - and meditating on the titles of Jesus in the Advent Antiphons is a good way to make Christmas more meaningful when it comes.