“The Work of Christmas” is written by Howard Thurman from his work, The Mood of Christmas and Other Celebrations.

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 flocks,
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 the people,
to make music in the heart.

PRAYER

Holy God who came to us in a manger, teach us to follow our Lord into the lives of others so that we may proclaim your reign of love and grace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.