The third Great Antiphon, "O Root of Jesse," refers to a prophecy from the book of Isaiah.
As the countdown to Christmas continues, the Church offers the antiphon, "O Root of Jesse." This antiphon is a direct reference to a prophecy from the book of Isaiah.
The antiphon is translated into English below.
O Root of Jesse’s stem,
sign of God’s love for all his people:
come to save us without delay!
This antiphon is referring to Jesse, the father of David, from whose line Jesus is descended.
But a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse,
and from his roots a bud shall blossom.
On that day,
The root of Jesse,
set up as a signal for the peoples—
Him the nations will seek out;
his dwelling shall be glorious.
Jesus, the root of Jesse, is the fulfillment of this prophecy and is the ultimate sign of God's love for his people.
