The Work of Christmas

The Work of Christmas

When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flock,
The work of Christmas begins:

To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among brothers,
To make music in the heart.

Since I began our Christmas season last month with Howard Thurman, I thought I would bring him back for these last days of Christmas. His poem above reminds us that not only is Christmas more than a day, more than a liturgical season, it is meant to guide us all year round in the way of discipleship life.

The whole point of Christmas is that the dream of God took flesh and dwelt among us, planting a seed of grace that was to be tended and nourished and shared, so that it might grow and flourish among all peoples. The wonderous gift was that the heart of God was found among the humble and ordinary, drawing together the marginalized shepherds and the foreign pagans, the seekers and the servants, the earthly and the heavenly beings, all gathered together to celebrate new life- a Kingdom life, shaped by a different set of values than what we often encounter among the powerful in this world.

Let us seek to take up this work of Christmas by following Jesus in the way of healing and welcome, nurturing and building up, being makers of both peace and music. I believe if we listen closely, we can still perceive the voices of the angels calling us discover the good news of great joy that God so wants to share with us. Blessings for the year ahead!

Pastor Annette