Prep your house for Christmas guests with the O Antiphons

It’s O Antiphon time! These short prayers all invite, or more accurately beg, God to come to us. In the week before Christmas Eve, we ask God to "save us" to "rescue us" "teach us" “shine on us" and "free us." And we know the end of the story — God answers those calls. He sends Jesus to come and save us, beginning with His birth in Bethlehem.

I think of times when I have invited friends to come to my house. I've hosted people for a meal, for a few days, or weeks. Inviting someone into your life requires something from you, especially with longer-term guests. You have to change your life to accommodate them in different ways. I tend to turn up the thermostat if it's winter, buy and make special or different foods, try to stay quieter or keep things darker in the mornings so others can sleep in.

What does inviting baby Jesus to come into our lives mean? It requires something from me too. It will change me.

For this Christmas, here's a hospitality checklist inspired by the first six O Antiphons — a few questions to ask yourself as you prepare your house for Christmas guests. Then, there's a hospitality checklist for your heart tied to the final O Antiphon.

O Wisdom of our God Most High, guiding creation with power and love: come to teach us the path of knowledge!

For this first O Antiphon, we beg for knowledge and wisdom from our Creator. In planning to welcome others, this is a good time to make sure I have all the information I need about their visit. Do I know when they are arriving, and if they need any help with transportation? Have I inquired about dietary restrictions? Is there anything I know about them that I can prepare for to make their stay better? For friends and family I know well, I can remember who is always cold, or who runs hot — and get extra blankets or fans ready as necessary.

O Leader of the House of Israel, giver of the Law to Moses on Sinai: come to rescue us with your mighty power!

In this O Antiphon, we beg for the leader, the lawgiver, to come rescue us. This reminds me of any holiday obligations or traditions that need to be navigated with guests. I can reach out and explain what my hope is for celebrating the day and ask them what their expectations and hopes are. For me, that will mean explaining Christmas Mass is a must but being open to finding a time that is convenient for my guests to join if they desire. If your guests have a tradition they want to share, this would be a good time to do some light planning to make that happen.

O Root of Jesse’s stem, sign of God’s love for all his people: come to save us without delay!

This antiphon for O Root of Jesse’s stem brings to my mind the family tree and generations of descendants that led to the birth of Christ. I then think about what connects families and holidays — and food comes up first and foremost. Meal planning for your guests might be simple or complicated, depending on how many people you are adding to your home and how long they are staying. I try to make sure I have some easy breakfast and lunch foods available and then decide what special meals to make and how much preparation they require. Any meal prep you can do ahead of time will make life easier and give you more time to visit. Make and freeze cookie dough, soup, etc. ahead of time, prepping menu items you can refrigerate for a few days.

O Key of David, opening the gates of God’s eternal Kingdom: come and free the prisoners of darkness!

What a hopeful image – it brings to mind for me Jesus’ descent into Hell, and even St. Paul being freed from prison in Acts. For hospitality’s sake, I think of how guests enter my home. What is my front door like, and what’s the first thing they see when they come in? Currently, it would mean cleaning up my front porch. Is there anything else in my home that I can do to make people feel freer and more welcome?

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.

My favorite O Antiphon is this one, I love meditating on the light of Christ. In hospitality, that might mean replacing burnt out light bulbs around my home or moving a lamp from the living room into a guest room. Think about heating and coziness -- from using a fireplace, if you have one, to making blankets and hot beverages available.

O King of all nations and keystone of the Church: come and save man, whom you formed from the dust.

There’s a lot that comes to mind with this antiphon — creation with Adam and Eve, the Magi showing us that Christ is King of all nations, and even the firm foundation of churches with cornerstones. Overall, I’m grateful for the gift of the Church and the gift of salvation. From a hospitality standpoint, it is helpful to double-check that all of my gifts are taken care of. Will the guests be a part of a gift exchange? Is everyone accounted for?

O Emmanuel, our King and Giver of law: come to save us Lord, our God!

Emmanuel means “God with us.” Instead of tying this antiphon to physical hospitality, I want to consider what welcoming the baby Jesus into my heart looks like this Christmas. What does it mean for me that Jesus actually shows up when I call on Him? If I have actually been praying these O Antiphons, meaning what I say, then I have invited Jesus into my life, and something needs to change to make room for Him. What is that thing for me right now?