Root of Jesse

O Root of Jesse, who stands as the standard for the people, before whom kings become silent and to whom the peoples pray, come to deliver us and don't delay. 

This anitphon, by any standard, has some pretty odd imagery. The combination of botanical imagery with royal imagery might seem odd, but it is connected through the figure of Jesse. Jesse was the father of King David, that man after God's own heart, whose descendants were to rule Israel forever, but didn't through their own unfaithfulness. That failure seems like God's promise to David failed, but it was ultimately fulfilled by the birth of Jesus through a line of ancestors which go back to David. So, Jesus proves to the culmination of this line starting from Jesse and, thus, the root of Jesse.

So, in this antiphon, we see this root of Jesse as a focal point for our lives. The root of Jesse becomes the standard, the military standard in Latin, which we follow as we seek Christ. It is the standard which even powerful people like kings respect. It is the focal point of our prayers in much the same way as Jesus is. It is a mediator between his kings and people and God. That is a powerful thing.

Yet, what are we praying for? Deliverance, it seems, but from what? For Israel, it was from dangerous neighbours or their own weakness. Later, it was from foreign oppression. For us, it might be less dramatic, but no less real- perhaps from our own fears, perhaps from a difficult personal situation. Yet, deliverance from difficulties is something we all need from time to time.

Reflective Practice: Find an image of Jesus which evokes what he means to you. Sit with it for a time quietly. What does this image make you feel?