THE CHRIST CHILD

Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar finally did arrive at the manger, and they laid it down.  No sooner had they laid down their golden tent stakes, the branch of myrrh plucked from the fire, the Frankenstein who wasn’t frankincense -and set them at the foot of the Christ child they were transported in the Spirit and having spiritual eyes, they encountered the real Christ child.  “Are you real?” they said.  And the Christ child laughed, like music in the heart.

SCRIPTURE:   “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.   For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’  Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?  And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?  And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’  And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ (Matthew 25: 31-40)

FOOLISH WISDOM:

“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.

-Howard Thurman

Merry Christmas 2025!

Love, James and Jimmie

TWO MUSIC SELECTIONS:

We Wish You a Merry Christmas - traditional

Margaret Tobat, voice and ukulele

Joy to the World arranged by Michael Burkhardt

© 1998 MorningStar Music Publishers

Laura Hesse, organ

The music is presented with permission under One License X-732009.