O Oriens

O Oriens,
splendor lucis aeternae, et sol justitiae:
veni, et illumina sedentes in tenebris, et umbra mortis.

O Morning Star,
splendour of light eternal and sun of righteousness:
Come and enlighten those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.

Today’s antiphon feels appropriate, in the northern hemisphere. Solstice is around this time, and we address Christ as Dayspring, Morning Star, Sun.

The seccond collect at BCP Evening Prayer springs to mind, too: Lighten our darkness, we beseech thee, O Lord…