“When the song of the angel 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 and sisters/To make music in the heart.” – Howard Thurman
Angels abound everywhere at Christmas – in manger scenes, on Christmas trees, in store windows, and even as cookies. It was the angel Gabriel who foretold the birth of Jesus to Mary. Angels appeared too to shepherds who were tending their flock – to announce the birth of Jesus. My earliest memory of angels comes from the pageants at church where the story of the birth of Jesus was acted out by the children. They were light on their feet and had beautiful wings. In the Greek language, the word angel means messenger.
From my experience of many Christmases, it appears to me that not all angels have wings and appear seemingly out of nowhere. Many “angels” are caring for the sick in hospitals and for the elderly in nursing homes or in their own homes. Some work in orphanages and shelters, and some are busy getting presents ready for the little and not so little “children” who will not otherwise have presents. In every walk of life, there are “angels” out there. While all the festivities and celebrations are going on, they are busily working away.
What would Christmas be without angels of all kinds? I took the images in these collages in a year-round Christmas store. They are beautiful ornaments for hanging on a Christmas tree or for a tree-top.
After all the Christmas angels disappear – the ones on trees, cards, pageants, and the like, the “real” angelic work goes on. The quote above gave me something to think about and reflect on as I enjoy all the Christmas angels.
Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays – whatever you’re celebrating. May the angels be with you.
