Saturday, December 22, 2007

O Antiphons, part seven...

December 22: O Rex Gentium...

O Rex Gentium, et desideratus earum,
lapisque angularis qui facis utraque unum:
veni, et salva hominem.

O King of the nations, and their desire,
the cornerstone making both one:
Come and save the human race,
which you fashioned from clay.

O Rex Gentium
O King of our desire whom we despise,
King of the nations never on the throne,
Unfound foundation, cast-off cornerstone,
Rejected joiner, making many one,
You have no form or beauty for our eyes,
A King who comes to give away his crown,
A King within our rags of flesh and bone.
We pierce the flesh that pierces our disguise,
For we ourselves are found in you alone.
Come to us now and find in us your throne,
O King within the child within the clay,
O hidden King who shapes us in the play
Of all creation. Shape us for the day
Your coming Kingdom comes into its own.

-- Malcolm Guite

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Incredible postings some of the prose is haunting and sharp whilst being crafty...