O clavis David et sceptrum domus Israël; qui
aperis, et nemo claudit; claudis, et nemo aperit: veni, et educ vinctum de
domo carceris, sedentem in ténebris, et umbra mortis.
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O
Key of David and Sceptre of the house of Israel, who opens and no one shall
shut, who shuts and no one opens, come and bring out from prison the prisoner
who sits in darkness and in the shadow of death.
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From "Liturgical Meditations for the Entire Year" by the Sisters of St. Dominic, Adrian, MI (B. Herder, 1960):
In
the office for today Holy Mother Church refers to the royal ancestry of our
divine Lord by calling upon Him as key of David and scepter of the house of Israel. He is the key of eternal design fitted to
open the entrance to the heavenly kingdom.
He is the scepter of infinite authority holding sway over all creation
from eternity unto eternity.
It
is this King of awful power and terrible majesty who will come to us in a few
days as a little child, not demanding the rights of His royalty and absolute
dominion, but pleading for a place in our hearts and in our lives. We are not forced to accept Him. In fact, we may be too busy with self and creatures
even to listen; but in the dawn of eternity we shall appear before the throne
of His infinite majesty to be ruled by Him forever. Let us call upon Him earnestly in the words
of the Advent liturgy to come and redeem our wretchedness by His might power. “Come and deliver me, O Lord; to Thee have I
fled” (Lauds of the last Friday of Advent.