Dec. 19

O R a d i x J e s s e

(Oh Sprout from the stump of Jesse)

Oh Sprout sprung up

from the stump of Jesse,

a rallying-banner raised on high

for all the nations,

before whom all kings will fall silent,

and all the Gentiles

will bow low in prayer,

come! Do not delay

but hurry to save us.

(song translation vs4)

O come, O Sprout of Jesse’s stump,

From every foe deliver them.

That trust you mighty pow’r to save,

And give them vict’ry o’er the grave.

Refrain: Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to you, O Israel.

The sprout

“We were sawing firewood when we picked up an elm log and gave a cry of amazement. It was a full year since we had chopped down the trunk--and yet this elm log had still not given up. A tiny fresh green shoot had sprouted from the stump with a promise of a thick leafy branch” (The Elm Log, Solzhenitsyn).

That sounds almost verbatim from the prophet Isaiah: "The royal line of David is like a tree that has been cut down. Just as new shoots sprout from the stump, so a new king will arise from the stump of Jesse" (Is 11:l). Jesse is the father of King David, and the stump is the Davidic Kingdom chopped down and fallen into ruin with the Exile. From that stump will spring a tiny sprout, a mere twig, an infant son named Jesus. "And unto him, the Lord God will give the throne of David, his father, and of his kingdom there will be no end" (Lk 1:32-33). In this infant, born to be king, the Davidic Kingdom revives, and the throne is occupied once again (Jn 18:37).

Not only will the kingdom revive, it will also flourish. Before the new king all kings will fall silent (Is 51:15) and all Gentiles will bow low in prayer (Is: 10). He will be a rallying-banner raised on high drawing the nations to himself, and gathering together all the scattered children of God (Is 11:10-12; Rom 15:12). We hear in this antiphon an echo of Jesus’ words, “When I am raised on high, I will draw all people to myself" (Jn 22:32-33). The tiny sprout that grows into a huge tree suggests a parable of Jesus: "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a tiny mustard seed which grows up into a huge tree where birds can build their nests. Or it's like a tad of yeast which a woman worked into three measures of flour till it was all leavened" (Mt 13:32-33).

Our minority

Catholics recall how their church before Vatican II was indeed a colossus on the roll. How it gloried in an abundance of priests and nuns who ran countless schools and hospitals, and serviced parishes that were packed with worshippers on Sunday morning. Then along came Vatican II which, among many things, sowed the "dangerous seeds" of humility and minority which declared that it's OK to be small, that great numbers aren’t important; that it’s OK even to be “cut to down to size.” Vatican II helped to “cut us down to size.” We are no longer the colossus we used to be. We have now become the Stump of Jesse. We have now become the “little flock” that Jesus affectionately called us, and in the same breath he bade not to be afraid of our minority: “Do not be afraid, little flock, because the Father is pleased to give you the kingdom”(Lk 12: 32).

Some feel insecure in their religious minority. they take refuge in blind recourse to ancient texts and traditions, sine glossa, without gloss and interpretation. They take comfort in blindly following “the holy commandments of God.” Before they know it, they are not only encouraging but also forcing everyone else (“infidels”) to do the same.

But some believers are not dismayed at their minority. They are not worried about how to “fix” it, since they’re simply not into the numbers-business or the appearance-business. They are not inordinately nostalgic for the “good ole’ days” of their majority. They, in fact, believe that something green and good is already sprouting out of their stump of Jesse.

Prayer

Oh House of David, do not be afraid, little flock.

A Sprout is springing from your stump.

Oh all you religious believers,

Judaic, Islamic and Christian,

do not be afraid, little flock.

Trust not in you ancient texts and holy commandments,

but trust in Yahweh, Allah, and the Father in heaven.

Trust, relax and rejoice, and then a fresh green shoot

will spring from your stump.

Trust, relax and rejoice, and then “the heavens will open

and rain down for you the Just One”

(Is 45:8).

(Repeat song, vs 4.)