December 20: O Clavis David, O Key of David

O Key of David, o royal Power of Israel,

controlling at your will the gate of heaven:

Come, break down the prison walls of death

for those who dwell in darkness 
and the shadow of death;

and lead your captive people into freedom.

Why are we  praying to a piece of metal? We're not, we're using symbolic language... let's think about some of the uses of a key. 

• To whom do you give or lend the keys to your car or home? Someone you trust, right? 

  • What do you look at to find the right responses to a test? The answer key.

• What do they call the middle block in a stone arch, the one that keeps all the others in place by accepting the most pressure? The keystone.

Thinking about those examples, what might we mean when we call Jesus  "Key of David"? What power does he hold, what answers can he give us, and is he someone in whom we could safely entrust our lives?

Most of us are not in prison. Some of us HAVE been in time-out (or the proverbial dog house). What kind of freedom do we pine for: escape from the consequences of our actions, or making better choices in the first place, which then lead to better results? How can Jesus help us make better choices?

In your own words or using the words of the antiphon at the top of this post, pray with your child for God to lead you to make good choices and break bad habits.