Tracey McKee – December 10, 2024
I came across this poem, “The Work of Christmas,” within the past couple of years and thought it offered the perfect focus and reflection for this month. I do not remember exactly where or when I came across it, but it moved me so much when I read it that I have since kept a copy on my desk as a daily reminder of what’s important. Wanting to know more about it, I researched and learned that Howard Thurman, a mentor to Martin Luther King, Jr. and spiritual visionary, had written it. Whether you practice Christianity or not, Thurmond’s call for us to make a positive difference in the world is universal.
“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 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.
“The Work of Christmas“ can be found in Thurman’s book, The Mood of Christmas, a collection of poems and meditations. If you’d like to know more about Howard Thurman, Backs Against the Wall, is a documentary that covers Thurman’s life and contributions. It can be found on PBS (Backs Against the Wall: The Howard Thurman Story | PBS) and Amazon (Backs Against The Wall: The Howard Thurman Story).
Works Referenced
Blake, John. “He Was MLK’s Mentor, and His Meeting with Gandhi Changed History. But Howard Thurman Was Largely Unknown, until Now.” CNN, Cable News Network, 1 Feb. 2019, Howard Thurman: The overlooked civil rights hero | CNN.
“Thurman, Howard.” The Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute. Accessed 6 Dec. 2024.
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