Today December 6

Today is the feast of St. Nicholas, died 343. Yes, Virginia, there really IS a Saint Nicholas. This great patron of all children is associated with Christmas and with gift-giving because his feast falls in December and he was renowned for his kindness and generosity when he was bishop of Myra in Turkey. The most famous incident was when an impoverished man with three daughters was considering giving them over to prostitution so they could make a living. Nicholas, hearing this, went under cover of night to the man's hut and threw a bag of gold in through the window. The eldest girl was not only saved from prostitution but was able to afford a dowry and be married, saving her from a fate worse than death. Soon after, Nicholas did the same for the second girl. The father resolved to stay awake the third time to see who their mysterious benefactor might be. Sure enough, Nicholas crept to the house with a third bag of gold, which he again threw in the window. The father jumped up and apprehended him. He was astonished to see it was the good bishop. Nicholas extracted a promise from the father not to reveal his identity, and parents have kept the secret from that day to this, although nowadays St. Nick is more likely to toss the presents down the chimney rather than in the window.

Nicholas is also the patron of sailors. While he was yet alive, he was called upon by sailors in a horrible storm. He appeared, saying, "You called me, here I am!" And I find it very interesting that rather than just standing there regally and calming the storm, Nicholas threw his back into it and helped batten down the sails. The storm was calmed as well. But I like that story because it makes me think of my religion teacher's thoughtful criticism of a movie, "Jesus of Nazareth," that Franco Zeffirelli film, when it came out on TV years ago. She criticized the portrait of Jesus, dressed in immaculate white and not a hair out of place, stepping daintily into one of the boats, with all the fishermen apostles bustling about, working. She said Our Lord would have lent a hand, too.

And finally, Nicholas was responsible for a latter-day miracle of the loaves, so to speak. During a severe famine in his province, Nicholas heard of some ships down in the harbor loaded with grain. He went down and asked them each to donate some of the grain to the people who were starving, suggesting a hundred measures of wheat from each ship. "No, Father, we dare not," the captains replied. The cargo had been weighed at Alexandria and they'd be prosecuted if it was light when it arrived at its destination. Nicholas told them to trust him, relieve the people, and the ships would not be found wanting. To their credit, the captains agreed. And lo and behold, the cargo was just as heavy at unloading as it had been in Alexandria. Praise God.

Nicholas always defended the innocent and was particularly compassionate to those were on death row. He is said also to have raised a dead boy after his father's impassioned prayers to him. And unusually for his time, he was known to be kind to the Jews, several of whom had a devotion to him. He died in peace, singing the hymn In te Domine speravi and died at the words "Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit" -- great last words if ever I heard them. Have a great St. Nicholas' Day everyone!