St. Peter Damian was an 11th-century monk who had a profoundly spiritual outlook on life. He could see the spiritual beneath each liturgical season, and the season of Christmas was no different.
A portion of his sermon from Christmas Eve is found in the book The Liturgical Year, and is a fitting conclusion to Advent.
In a way it is a type of litany, recalling the reality that is upon us.
At length we have come from the stormy sea, into the tranquil port;
hitherto it was the promise, now it is the prize;
hitherto labor, now rest;
hitherto despair, now hope;
hitherto the way, now our home.
Today we welcome the Christ Child into our lives and rest our weary heads. The four weeks of Advent have concluded and we have at last arrived at our destination.
As we celebrate Christmas, let us reflect on this profound truth and let God’s peace invade our soul.
And today we celebrate...