Friday of the First Week of Advent
I love living with kids! Why? Their willingness to believe; to approach life with wonder, curiosity, trust, openness, joy, authenticity. Our kids are so excited to start preparing our home for the coming of Christmas. We attempt to be very intentional in emphasizing the season of advent, trying to tie together the excitement of receiving presents at the end of 4 weeks of waiting and the gift that is the Birth of Christ, Emmanuel, God with us. Santa Claus is a central figure this time of year and as much as I am tempted to push back on the commercialism of Christmas, there is a beautiful faithfulness in talking to our kids about Santa. Christmas today has become this crazy mashup of celebrating Jesus’ birth and the legend of St. Nicholas, the 4th-century Eastern European bishop. Is Santa real? Yes, and he lived several hundred years ago, was known for his incredible generosity and compassion for others, and slowly developed from Nicholas to Saint Nicholas to the Dutch version Sint Nikolaas to Sinter Klaas and finally, Santa Claus.
What a perfect saint for Advent (and not just because his feast day happens to always pop up a few weeks before Christmas). St. Nicholas cared deeply for others, and not just their spiritual needs as a bishop, but their physical and material needs as well. He modeled Jesus to others. I think one of the most compelling stories about St. Nicholas is regarding a man with three daughters. The man was poor and could not afford to pay for the dowries (a custom at the time) to support his daughters in getting married. Inevitably, the daughters might have been sold into servitude or slavery. One night, while the family slept, Nicholas secretly came to the family’s home and threw a bag filled with gold coins through the window. Similarly, in the gospel today, Jesus asks the blind men “Do you believe that I can do this?” (Mt 9:28). He then proceeds to heal the blind men in accordance with their profession of faith. He was interested in healing them both spiritually and physically.
So as we dive into the season of Advent; a time of waiting and preparation; a journey full of hope, love, joy, and peace–how might we open our hearts to newness in our life and the hope that God brings? In what ways do we need healing? How can we learn to grasp faith like a child, with deep trust, curiosity, and awe? As we lit the first candle on our advent wreath Sunday evening, Francis proclaimed that the first purple candle symbolizes hope. What are we hoping for as we journey through Advent toward the love, joy, and peace that we anticipate in the coming of the Christ child? Let us lean into the real Santa Claus, modeled after Saint Nicholas, modeled after Jesus.
Poverty continues to impact people today, just as it did in Saint Nicholas’ time. Each of us has the power to help others overcome the burdens that weigh our neighbors down. In what ways can we help to care for others who are hungry and thirsty? May the model of Saint Nicholas propel us toward greater love, compassion, self-sacrifice, generosity, and action. Let us answer the call to serve and care for the hungry, the lonely, the poor, and the vulnerable.
“In all this I have given you an example
That by such work we must support the weak,
And keep in mind the words of the Lord Jesus who himself said,
‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (Acts 20:35)
So, go on, embrace Santa! We are blessed by the example of Saint Nicholas, using his gifts to provide for others. What gifts can we share with others during this season of Advent? If the body of Christ takes action, “The lowly will ever find joy in the Lord, and the poor rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.” (Is 29:19) Do you believe?
Peace,
Brandon Meyer