As we experience the wonder of Christmas this week, Senior Development Officer Sarah Granger invites us to remember that the wonder of Christmas is the birthplace for the “work of Christmas” (Thurman, 1985, p.23).
At Catholic Charities, the “work of Christmas” is sheltering the unhoused, feeding the hungry, resettling our refugee brothers and sisters, and so much more.
This Christmas, as we dim the lights and gaze upon the scene of the birth of Jesus in a manger, we let our hearts become more tender. As we take much needed rest, we welcome a deep sense of comfort from the mystery of God in our midst. And then, when we have put away all the Christmas decorations and ring in 2021, we will together begin anew that which Howard Thurman, the great theologian and civil rights leader, called “The Work Of Christmas” in this timeless poem:
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 all,
To make music in the heart.
Thurman, H. (1985). The Work of Christmas. In The Mood of Christmas & Other Celebrations (1st ed., p. 23). Friends United Press.