Rattling the Secret Key of Salvation

O Key of David and sceptre of the House of Israel; you open and no one can shut; you shut and no one can open: Come and lead the prisoners from the prison house, those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.

In these last days, we have chanted the O antiphons as the darkness gathers. For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, as chronos unceasingly marches toward the solstice, our physical days mirror the Mystery that kairos offers. This Great Secret hidden from the dawning of the world calls us moment to moment to turn from the darkness of our path and to gaze instead into the Dazzling Darkness. Turning, we hear whispers of the Secret’s identity and silently we reply. We hear the name Wisdom and our mind begs for discernment and good judgment. Our will seeks unity and purpose, a Lord, and it sees in the dark the Great Fire of Love and Mercy and the Law extended from that healing touch. We notice the liberator, the anointed, the Messiah germinating from its roots in Jesse and David, silencing the powerful and offering deliverance.

The silent verse now ringing in the dark, is a call to freedom, to light, to life. A call to The Key that frees those of us trapped in the prison of death. The key that springs us from the narrow dark trap and delivers us forth into spaciousness and light. This hidden key to the chains that bind lies near. We wait attentively with deep, deep yearning. In the rattling of this key, we hear David composing and singing the secret songs of the Lord of Life. In listening, we sing along.  Sing this new song to Wisdom, to the Lord, to the Root of Jesse!

Lead us out of our prisons of our own designs O Key of David.  The Universe trembles in anticipation.

This Song longing to sing secrets — this Dazzling Dark, ready to dawn tomorrow to cheers of O Oriens — this Key of David: rattling in the doors of our prisons. Sing your secrets of light, life, and freedom O Key! Unlock the gates of our hearts.

O Key of David — Come and lead the prisoners from the prison house, those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.