Fourth O Antiphon: “O Clavis David”

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O Key of David and Sceptre of the house of Israel,

Who dost open and no man doth shut,

Who dost shut and no man doth open,

come and bring forth from his prisonhouse

the captive that sitteth in darkness and in the shadow of death.

“All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Mt 28:18) – You say to us, O Key of David and Sceptre of the house of Israel.

You, the Lamb of God, were the only one worthy to open the Book and its seals (Rev 5:1-5).

The Father has put everything in your hand (Jn 3:35),

and You have kept all those whom He has entrusted to You (Jn 17:12).

You are the Alpha and the Omega,

the One who is, who was, and who is to come again (Rev 1:8)

to judge the living and the dead.

To whom You open the gates of the Kingdom of God,

no one can keep him back,

no one can snatch him out of your hand (Jn 10:28),

neither principalities, nor powers, nor any creature (Rom 8:38-39).

If you open the door, we may enter in

and no one will be able to close it (Rev 3:8).

Your heart, O Lord, you have already opened it wide for us.

Blessed is he who enters it!

There he will find all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col 2:3);

the Kingdom of love, the grace of redemption…

And this Heart is always open,

and no one can ever close it!

You confront hatred with love;

lies with truth;

guilt with forgiveness;

the estrangement from God with Your close presence.

O Key of David and Sceptre of the house of Israel!

let all peoples hasten to the manger,

for with You the Kingdom of Heaven has come to us!

Thou wilt shut the gates of hell

and you do not want anyone to perish.

Yet you allow man to choose.

If he does not enter through the open door of Your Heart,

he will remain outside.

Thieves and robbers try to enter the sheepfold by another way (Jn 10:1);

but You alone are the door (Jn 10:9).

You break the chains of guilt, the shackles of death,

with which Satan binds men.

Without You there can be no true life;

Without You we remain in the dungeon of darkness.

But You have come and have not left us as a prey in the clutches of Satan.

Hosanna to the Son of David! (Mt 21:9)

Exult without restraint, O Zion, shout for joy, O Jerusalem! For your king is coming to you (Zech 9:9)….

It is He! It is He! No one else but Him!

He holds the keys; He, the Lord….

Through His Heart, we reach the Eternal Father (Jn 14:6).

We only have to let ourselves be loved and to reciprocate His love…

It’s as simple as that!

He will keep us forever in His Heart…

Come and do not delay any longer!