“The giver of every good and perfect gift has called upon us to mimic His giving, by grace, through faith, and this is not of ourselves.”–St. Nicholas of Myra
Heart-warming Stories . . . 📖
I have always appreciated heart-warming stories–you know the type. The wronged protagonist, our underdog hero, faces one insurmountable challenge after another. Just when you think the bad guys are truly going to get him or her, the protagonist finds a way to persevere, inspiring mere-mortals that we too can be like the protagonist.
Those comforting stories are like cotton-candy, light, sweet, and sticky. Instead of needing to clean your hands, it’s the story that sticks around in your mind, inspiring you to perhaps make a change in your own life. That sums up the legend of Saint Nicholas of Myra.
My interest in the story of Saint Nicholas was piqued when our school pastor, Rev. Monsignor Dean G. Borgmeyer, spoke of the upcoming Feast of Saint Nicholas at a school church service. I wanted to learn a bit more about him and conducted a brief search. From Britannica to Farmer’s Almanac and from the Cincinnati Enquirer to National Today and a few others, my gleanings yielded a variety of lore associated with St. Nicholas.
By the time this is published, the Feast of Saint Nicholas will have already occurred in Western Christian countries on December 6, including the United States; however, it won’t occur in the Eastern Christian countries until December 19. Nonetheless, his legend, and all the variations of it, is a heartening story. In fact, it inspired many of our current traditions and notions centered around the present-day conception of Santa Claus.
. . . Get Into your Head . . . 🧐
Some sources say that Nicholas was born to wealthy parents in the 3rd or 4th century in the Lycian seaport village of Patra, Turkey. It is believed that he traveled to Egypt and Palestine during his youth. Tragically, however, according to one account, his parents died when he was quite young due to an epidemic sweeping the area. This same report added that because he was raised Christian, Nicholas ultimately sold his belongings, dedicated his life to one of service, and then used his inheritance to help others. At some point during his years of service to the church, he returned to Lycia, and there, he was made Bishop of Myra, one of the youngest men to be named bishop.
Most sources emphasize his dedication to helping children in particular. In fact, the one most often repeated stories are variations of how he helped a poor father keep his three daughters from a life of poverty, slavery, or prostitution by providing each of them with a dowry. One account stated that stockings filled with gold coins were lobbed through a window of the family’s home and landed in shoes near the hearth. Another account simply stated that gold coins were mysteriously found in their shoes. In a similar fashion, unrelated to the three daughters, it is also claimed that children would find gold coins in their stockings that were left outside to dry after washing, and it was a widely held belief that this was the work of Bishop Nicholas.
All sources agree that Nicholas was imprisoned for his good works and probably tortured during the Roman persecutions of Christians. Most likely he was released during the reign of Constantine the Great and continued his life devoted to helping those in need. He was supposedly declared a saint on the same day he died at an estimated age of 73.
. . . Melt your heart . . . ♥️
His reputation for kindness and generosity grew because it is believed most of his gifts to others were given anonymously, and as a result, there are many wildly, unbelievable legends and miracles associated with Saint Nicholas. One such miracle was of a crazed butcher who chopped up three young kids and hid them in brine. Supposedly, Nicholas was able to fully restore the lives of all three children and return them whole and healthy to their parents. Another story tells of a kidnapped son being returned to his family one year later, guided by Bishop Nicholas, years after his death.
However, for me the greatest takeaway of the story of Saint Nicholas is the idea of practicing generosity and kindness to others, not just through the holiday season, but throughout the year–especially in an anonymous or low-key manner as part of a regular practice. In fact, during the recent funeral of Rosalynn Carter, her pastor talked about the fact that she understood the message of living a life of faith and service intellectually in her head. That intellectual seed of understanding became planted in her heart, and the desire to share and love others grew from that planted seed of faith. From her heart, a passion for generosity and service moved to her hands via actions. Over time, these acts of service and kindness became a regular practice, thus creating a habit. Head. Heart. Hands. Habit.
The story of St. Nicholas is quite similar, and you don’t have to believe all parts of his legend to get the message. The protagonist understood at a young age the importance of faith and serving others. Due to this belief, he soon learned to embrace and embody the idea of service into actions. Then, the act of kindness and generosity became so ingrained in him that service, kindness, and generosity became the habit of his life–even if it meant facing persecution for it. Head. Heart. Hands. Habit.
. . .And move your hands to action 🤝
As 2023 winds down with the holiday season, it is so easy to get wrapped up (honestly, no pun intended, but it does fit) in commercial, marketing hype, which can lead to stress, over-obligating, and overspending–which creates even more stress and anxiety which is self-focused. While I am not saying you should not participate and enjoy the holiday season, rather I encourage all of us to also take time to reflect on our own head, heart, hands, and habits of 2023.
How can we more often incorporate acts of service? Can we find ways to practice generosity and kindness regularly and/or anonymously? Can we carry that spirit of Saint Nicholas beyond the holiday season and look for ways to continue in 2024. If we can intellectually convince ourselves of the value of service to others, however small, then maybe our hearts would soften and open to the idea. From that softened heart, we might find the audacity to commit our hands in 2024 to some form of humble service–not because we want others to know, or we want a tax-write off, but because it is simply the right thing to do. Could it, would it, become a habit? What would happen if there were more people like Mrs. Carter or like the legendary St. Nicholas?
Steph Simply 