CrossPoint Community News 12/16/2022

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

       In just over a week, we will celebrate Christmas. Unfortunately, lore and cultural tradition have taken over to transform St. Nicholas of Myra (what is in Modern Day Turkey) into the star of the show – since as Santa Claus he purportedly brings gifts to children across the world. Spoiler Alert: Santa Claus is not real. But Saint Nicholas was.
       Nicholas of Myra was a devout Christian in a time when Christianity was persecuted within the Roman empire. But following Christ’s incredible generosity (cf. 2 Cor. 8:9) he imitated that generosity. His parents died when he was young but left him an inheritance, which he used to help others. He did this before he was a bishop or a saint. When he heard of a young woman who may have to be sold into prostitution due to the abject poverty of her father, Nicholas let a sum of money in the home by tossing it through the window one night so that a dowry could be paid so the daughter could be married. Apparently, Nicholas did this for the man’s two other daughters too! You may have heard that Nicholas was at the Council of Nicea (325 AD). He was there, but he didn’t slap Arius with his sandal, though he did perhaps get into a fight or two, as his nose bone has a break in it. According to Adam English, who wrote a book about Saint Nicholas, Nicholas was known for incredible acts of generosity, civil service and even justice. For example, one story is told of Nicholas that he helped to free three individuals who were falsely accused and sentenced to prison. Following his death, Nicolas was associated with gift-giving and generosity.
       So, in the 11th century, nuns would leave gifts for children signed “from Saint Nicholas”. Saint Nicholas was reintroduced into the American context through individuals of Dutch Heritage in New York, who were looking for traditions. Sint Nikolaas (the Dutch pronunciation of Saint Nicholas) was nicknamed Sinterklaas, which became Santa Clause. Through cultural adaptations, Santa Claus became a pudgy, white, bearded man who lives at the North Pole.
     We can imitate the generosity of Christ by including others, by giving what we have to help others, and by welcoming those who are outside of our normal circles of influence. So, the next time you hear about Santa Claus, remember Saint Nicholas who was a Christian who cared for others, so fulfilling the law of Christ (to love one another).

Please continue to pray for the nation of Ukraine. Here is a suggested list of prayers if you are at a loss for words in how to pray: https://send.org/story/hh_pray_for_ukraine. Thank you for kneeling on behalf of the people of Ukraine and Russia, and taking a stand (or a knee in prayer) against the forces of darkness in this present age.