"The Work of Christmas," by Howard Thurman

For many, Christmas ended the morning of December 26th.  In the Catholic liturgical calendar, Christmas ended the night of January 9th this year.  I just discovered this poem filled with love and truth and wanted to share it with you.  It was written by Dr. Howard Thurman.  He was Dean of Theology at Howard University and Boston University.  In 1944 he helped found the first racially integrated, multiculural church in the United States.  As an author, philosopher, theologian, educator and civil rights leader, he influenced many during his lifetime.  And with this poem, continues to influence even today.  I just had to share it with you!

"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.

Light

             Light is in my thoughts this morning. This weekend, we took down our outside Christmas lights.  The weather was unusually warm, so it made sense to do so, and Epiphany (January 6^th) is past.  Today we will take down our Christmas tree.  I reluctantly turned off the lights last night.  I know that it will be next Christmas before I these lights will glow in the living room again.

Wide-awake in the middle of the night, I decided to lie down on our family room couch to see if I could get back to sleep.  Initially, I laid my head at one end of the sofa and then realized that there was light coming through the windows and resting on the other side of the sofa.  “It must be a full moon,” I thought.  I turned around to put my head at the other end of the sofa so the soft, gentle moonlight would rest on my face and upper torso.  As I closed my eyes, I thought of the reflection that I recently read that compared Mary’s reflecting the love of Jesus, like the moon reflecting the light of the sun.  When I woke 90 minutes later, the moonlight was gone and it was time to begin my day.

                As I drove my son to his carpool early this morning, I noticed the pink sky as I drove home - a reminder that the days are lengthening, although we are in the middle of winter.  Each day brings us closer to spring.

                 How fortunate I am to be surrounded by light today: the colorful, beautiful lights of a Christmas tree, celebrating the birth of Jesus, the gentle light of a full moon in the middle of the night, reminding me of Mary and then the sun rising just a little earlier each day in the midst of winter.

                I simply ask that I might be a light to others today. 

The Magi

                Over the Christmas holiday, I read a novel about the Magi who journeyed to find Jesus.  The Three Kings have not been a focus of thought for me, until now.  In a far off country, they saw a star -one that had not been there before.  They knew of the prophecies that said that a star would announce the arrival of the Deliverer.

                They began a journey, not knowing their destination.  Their belief in prophecies and that God would send a savior was the basis for their trip.  What did their families or their friends think?  It was a costly and dangerous journey.  Were they perceived as going on an important trip, or were they considered fools – chasing after a light in the sky?  Were there some who did not want them to succeed? (As was the case in this novel.)

How much perseverance did it take to finish the journey?  A light in the sky guided them.  They imagined that they would find the Deliverer in a palace or place of power.  That is what drove them to Jerusalem to find this great King.  In the novel, they went to the temple to ask about where He was.  The temple leaders became frightened of such talk because of Herod. 

I continue to think, how frightened they may have been as they spoke to Herod.  He could just as easily have had they put to death as let them finish their journey.   (Of course, that was not God’s plan.)  Moreover, what must it have felt like to find the Deliverer as a small child?  How amazed were Joseph and Mary to find these strange men coming to see their child and then to worship Him?  They fell on their knees to honor the child and bringing valuable and strange gifts to the child.  These gifts were already pointing to the cross.

When the Magi returned to their homes, they must have been different.  Any conversion that brings one closer to God changes so much.  As they recounted the adventures of their journey, what did their wives, children, parents and friends think?  Did they believe that the Deliverer had come to earth, or were they simply relieved to have them home? 

Epiphany is our holiday.  That in which Gentiles were introduced to our Savior and King.  And my life experience mirrors that of the Magi.  They expected to return to Herod to let him know of the birth of Jesus, and yet once again their lives were sent in a different direction by the Spirit in a dream.  How many times do I think I know the direction of my life, only to find that perhaps God’s plans for me are not in “that direction, but over here”?

On this final day of Christmas (technically the 14^th day of Christmas, this year), I wonder how will I follow Jesus this year.  What difference will following His will make in my life this year?  I pray that I will have the perseverance of the Magi to believe and follow today and each day of my life.

The image is of Fra Angelico's painting of the Adoration of the Magi.