St. Nicholas: A Giver

-Pastor Melissa Fain-

35 In all this I have given you an example that by such work we must support the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, for he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

Acts 20:35 NRSV

Did you know Santa gained everything he has today from a real live Saint?!

St. Nicholas was born in the year 280 in what we now call today, Turkey. When he was still pretty young, his parents passed away, leaving him with a small fortune. It’s believed he used his money in very meaningful ways.

For example, there was the story of how he saved a very poor family with three girls. There was a time a woman couldn’t get married until their family had something called a dowry. A dowry is a payment or a giving of property to the groom’s family before she could marry into the family. The money is supposed to help the woman if something happens to her husband, or to be used to start a new family. This poor family had no money for a single dowry. The father, left with no other option, was planning to sell his daughters into slavery. St. Nicholas secretly paid the dowries for all three girls, saving them from that terrible fate.

It is also said he stopped an execution by ripping the sword out of the executioner’s hand and telling him to stop. By saving the man’s life, the condemned man later asked for forgiveness for his wrongdoings. Imagine being so bold in your desire for justice!

Nicholas would eventually become a Bishop (one of the important leaders of the Catholic Church) and eventually would become a saint. We remember St. Nicholas on his feast day: December 6.

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Question: What have you enjoyed giving?
 
Prayer: Dear God, give us the passion so we can give to others. Amen.

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