First Friday of Advent

Nicholas of Myra
Picture by LoggaWiggler on Pixabay

A Canadian friend who leads tours to the Holy Land told me how they went on a side trip to Turkey which included Myra, the home of Saint Nicholas. He was excited to the point of embarrassment, he said, on visiting "the birthplace of Santa Claus." Well, it's true, he did; Saint Nicholas and Santa Claus are one and the same—well, sort of.  

Funny thing about us Protestants; we worked so hard to eradicate the veneration of saints from life and worship, but then took this one saint and enlarged him to mythic propoortions, all while replacing his holiness with jolliness.  So unhelpful!

I actually don't know anyone who keeps this feast day, or the day of "Sinter Klaas", or marks the day by any other name. But I wish we did. The man represents generosity, not shopping. Apparently the original Nicholas inherited great wealth from parents who died early, then spent his life giving it away to the poor and destitute (including one supposed story of dropping gold down a chimney, but we will leave that aside.) How wonderful would Christmas be if we could focus all of the gift giving to those who need it most, do that early in December, and leave the rest of Christmas for wonder and adoration at the greatest gift of all, the gift of Immanuel, God with us?

How even more wonderful if the example of how God's generosity to Nicholas overflowed in his life in great generosity could inspire us as well to being the generous people that God calls us to be.  

On a sombre note, here in Canada we also mark Dec. 6 to remember the École Polytechnique massacre. 35 years later, it does not feel we have made progress in preventing similar tragedies.  How sad to realize this in the Christmas season.