The Shepherds' Prayer: A Christmas Novel - Hardcover

Santa Claus. Beautifully wrapped gifts. Eating lots of good food with family and friends. For many, that's what Christmas is all about. But the author of a new book is determined to put the emphasis back where it belongs: on the birth of Jesus and how the Lord reinvigorates the lives of those who follow Him. His book, "The Shepherds' Prayer: A Christmas Novel," does just that.

Author and publisher Richard Barry based his fictional tale on the real lives of a group of men we've all heard about but typically overlook -- the shepherds to whom the angel announced the birth of Jesus. Outside of our kid's school play, most of us have never given these important Biblical characters a second thought. Yet they were the first to hear the Good News. So what happened to them after that blessed first Christmas? Richard Barry's novel seeks to answer that thought-provoking question, and in a way that makes all of us appreciate the importance of Christ's Incarnation and how the seemingly insignificant birth of one baby in an obscure corner of the Roman Empire changed the world forever.

In fact, Barry places the entire Christmas story into historical context in a way that few modern novels on the subject have done. He reminds us that there is a tragic component of the story, too -- the Slaughter of the Innocents. This was when the jealous King Herod ordered the murder of all the male babies in Bethlehem in an attempt to kill the Messiah, whom he saw as a rival. In "The Shepherds' Prayer," a young man who had been orphaned in this tragic massacre returns to Bethlehem thirty years later on a quest to discover his name and heritage. Having been raised in a culture where bloodlines mean everything, he seems forever condemned to live as an outsider on the fringes of society until he discovers his true identity. His only clue is a cryptic message on a lambskin blanket about a child born in a stable in Bethlehem. Who is this mysterious child? And what could such a child have to do with his own birth and destiny? Through a providential encounter with a small band of shepherds, the young man comes to realize that his quest has little to do with his genes -- and everything to do with his soul.

This is a book that has the potential to become a Christmas classic because it is one of those rare novels that the entire family can enjoy. It focuses our attention on the life-changing power of faith during this special time of the year. Yes, decorating our Christmas trees and waiting for Santa to make his annual sleigh ride are fun traditions. But these things pale in comparison with the profound inspiration drawn from the remarkable story of the humble shepherds who first taught us what Christmas is really all about.

The book is available as a hardcover book and as a three-CD audiobook. The audio version of the book is narrated by the "golden voice" of John McDonough, an accomplished actor, singer and narrator who has appeared on Broadway, in television and in movies.

It was the Christmas season of 1997 when I began thinking about the story that would eventually become The Shepherds' Prayer. My wife and I had just returned from church. We were talking about how wonderful the story of Christ's birth was and what it meant to the world then and now.

For all the good that came of His birth and for all that generations have read and talked about it since then, there also was great sadness that resulted in Bethlehem when Herod ordered the killing of all the male babies. Not much has been written or is ever said about that traumatic event and how it must have impacted the people of Bethlehem and their attitudes about the poor Galilean child who was the target of Herod's wrath. And not much has been written about the shepherds who were the first to proclaim that this child was the promised Messiah. How might their lives have been affected by Herod's massacre? I started thinking about those untold stories and, after researching them, found that they were inspiring stories that were begging to be told. And so I set out to try to tell them in a way that would lead the reader on his or her own journey to discover Christ and what it truly means to be a Christian.

We all need to be reminded in a deeper way why we celebrate this time of year. This Christmas season, I sincerely hope this story will help you to see the birth of Christ in a new and thought-provoking way. Consider reading it each year as a Christmas tradition in your home.

In Christ's Name,
Richard M. Barry