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Some years ago during Advent my wife Jeannie and I started coming to the Sunday evening service of Compline. Since that time Compline has become part of our journey as we conclude each week and are about to begin another. Only a trip out of town or a pandemic could cause us to miss Compline. The service is entirely sung by Sanctuary, the Compline choir. The congregation simply sits in our pews bathed in Gregorian chant and the most beautiful polyphony one can imagine. The only light in the church comes from candles and the spotlight shining through the window above the altar and reredos. (The choir has tiny lights illuminating their music stands behind us.) No matter how busy or hectic our week has been, no matter what we might be facing in the week to come, this half-hour has become sacred for us as apparently it is for many from all over who find their way to this service. In addition to our parishioners there are students from Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of Richmond who make this service part of their weekly journey.
A theme of this season is that light shines in the darkness as we look ahead to the coming of the Light of Christ in the birth of the Holy Child. Our service of Compline is a wonderful reminder of the presence of that light in our lives. May these remaining days of Advent prepare us with joy in the anticipation of the coming of Christ who is the light that enlightens the world.
*This is the first verse of Hymn 60 in the Advent section of The Hymnal 1982, sung to the tune Conditor alma siderum, an ancient chant. Sanctuary chants this in Latin at the conclusion of every Compline service here.
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