We continue our reflections on the O Antiphons with the Antiphon for this evening.  In some translations, this antiphon is translated, “O Dayspring”, but our sources translate the antiphon as “O Radiant Dawn.”

O Radiant Dawn,
splendor of eternal light, sun of justice:
come and shine on those who dwell in darkness and in the shadow of death.

The month of December is not always fun and games.  Not only do we receive stories about people not finding the right gifts for someone.  But more sadly, we find that some of us don’t have a someone to celebrate this season with.  That life is sometimes pretty dark.

It could be anything, of course.  Cancer treatment.  Aging parents.  Financial inability to go home.  The humbling inability to buy presents.  Or the sad and real possibility of spending Christmas Day all alone.

San Francisco can be a very lonely city, if we allow it.  The hook-up scene is simply a bad remedy to put off our feelings of loneliness for a night or two.  We could put all of our time and energy into our start-up or a grant proposal or busywork, convincing ourselves that we are fulfilling our life’s goals, doing something good for the team.

But at the end…even that won’t satisfy.

As dark as the city seems—as lonely as it seems—we are never alone.  There is always hope.  There is always life.  The Radiant Dawn, The Dayspring, Jesus of Nazareth, searches to cast out the darkness of our loneliness.  He seeks fill the empty recess of our hearts.  He searches to cast out the darkness of our lives like a torch that chases away darkness from an empty chamber.

We have all been in a dark room in which we cannot see past our nose.  Then someone strikes a match and the light seduces us.  The light enchants us, brings us warmth and comfort.

O Radiant Dawn—burn among us!