Feast of St Nicholas

Dear Friends and Family,

Today is officially the day that commemorates the life of St Nicholas, bishop of Myra (which is in modern day Turkey). Many stories surround St Nicholas. He is known for having left dowry money for some poor young women so they could get married. He is also known for having slapped or punched the heretic Arius at the Council of Nicaea. I admit, I find it very interesting that even early on, St Nicholas was associated with the Incarnation (Arius taught that the Son was not God but a creature made by God. Nicholas believed that the Son has always been God and also became man). Whatever the truth of these stories I think two things are clear. 1 Nicholas is remembered as and thus quite possibly was generous; 2 As he was also remembered as a defender of orthodoxy it is not wrong to associate orthodox thought or even Christmas (the event of the beginning of the Incarnation) with him.

Here is a prayer from the St Nicholas Centre for the Feast of St Nicholas:

Good Father,

With delight we commemorate today your servant Nicholas of Myra,

He resembles your Son:

In him we see what your Holy Spirit can accomplish;

In his life we see something of your presence.

We ask you to

strengthen our hope,

that we, too, like Nicholas,

one day may rest in you peace.

This we ask through Jesus Christ,

as He alone is the Holy One,

He alone the Lord in eternity. Amen.

I hope you continue to wait for the coming of Christ as we continue in the Advent season.

Yours,

David