It's Christmas time in the city, and in the sticks, and the world over, and I love it! The music, the decorations, the sweets, I love it all. While breaking out the good ol' pre-lit Christmas tree on Black Friday, I began to think of all the winter wonderfully strange traditions we participate in this time of year. I eventually turned my mind's eye to Santa Claus...Santi Claus...Saint Nich-o-las...Saint Nicholas. Yeah, that's the ticket! Though there is very little we can be sure of concerning the real-life Saint Nick, we do know that he was made Bishop of Myra(modern day Turkey) and that he became well known for his generosity and love for children. It has been written that he suffered for his faith under the Roman Emperor Diocletian. Beyond that, things get a bit sketchy. Saint Nicholas' legend includes several miracles, and he became the favorite of all saints. There are innumerable churches named for the Fourth Century bishop, and he is one of the most popular subjects among Christian artists.
I'm not Catholic, and so I'm not real big on "celebrating the saints" per se(St. Nicholas Day is Dec. 6th), BUT I think that Saint Nicholas may need to be the exception. It isn't that this believer is any greater than another, but what this "Saint" has come to represent. By all accounts Nicholas became the embodiment of what our Lord's brother James may have called true religion.
James 1:27
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultlessis this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
Jolly old St. Nick was famous for giving gifts anonymously TO THOSE IN NEED. May we all use this holiday season as another excuse to give generously TO THOSE IN NEED.
Here are some places where you can give:
For more info on St. Nicholas:
