O morning stars, together Proclaim the holy birth! 

Read: Revelations 22:12-17 

In astronomy (and its predecessors), the morning star refers to the planet, Venus. It is the brightest object in the sky after the Sun and Moon. For part of its orbit around the Sun, Venus can be seen in the eastern morning sky right before sunrise. 

This celestial body is a sign that day is coming. It is an announcement that the Sun is on its way. It is a promise that day will dawn. 

In Job 3:7, the angels are called the “morning stars”. The angels, who are messengers, proclaim God’s creation in Job. They proclaim the coming of God’s Son to the shepherds abiding in the fields. 

At the end of the book of Revelations, Jesus calls himself the Morning Star. It is one of a number of names, images, that Christ uses to identify himself. It signifies that the fulfillment of God’s plan is in sight. That the light of the world has dawned. 

What does it mean for you that Jesus is the Morning Star? 

What other images of Christ bring you hope in this Advent season?