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Morning Devotion for the Season of Advent
December 6, 2024
Nicholas of Myra
Reading: Mark 10:13-16
People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them. But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, ‘Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.’ And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them.
Meditation by Jeremy O’Neill
Today is the feast of Nicholas of Myra, the Saint Nicholas who is associated with presents, children, and climbing down chimneys. His story (along with other European folk tales) contributes to the man in the red suit we think of today. Nicholas of Myra served as a bishop in what is now Southwestern Turkey. Patara, the ancient city where Nicholas was from, was a warm maritime port, far from the desolate North Pole. Nicholas is remembered for his profound generosity which involved throwing gold into open windows of people’s homes. This later evolved to putting presents down the chimney in colder climates.
I find it interesting how Nicholas’s legend has evolved into the holiday giving we see today. Christmas giving is inherently wrapped up in consumerism in our society, as many of the entities encouraging us to give to others are also encouraging us to buy their products. We often see Saint Nicholas in shopping malls or in online advertisements, and Santa Claus seems more generous on his visits to the homes of children who are in more privileged socioeconomic situations. The story of Nicholas of Myra states that he gave gold to people who had nothing else, and exists in a world that isn’t as full of products and things to buy as our current one.
I do think it is possible to practice a non-consumerist gift giving in 2024, or at least an expansive vision of what it means to give. Giving material gifts can bring joy no matter what they are and how much they cost, and the point of giving is the joy rather than the value. There are also other ways we can be generous, such as with our time or our talents or our mere presence.
One of Jesus’s greatest gifts, as shown in this Gospel story, was his ability to be present. He was present with children, with outsiders, with the sick and with the poor. These were all groups of people society would have found unworthy to be in the presence of a great leader, but Jesus was different. His presence was a gift, and as Christians we can continue to be witnesses to that gift and model that presence as we aim to be present and form relationships with all people this Christmas.
Prayer
Grant, Almighty God, that your church may be so inspired by the example of your servant Nicholas of Myra, that it may never cease to work for the welfare of children, the safety of sailors, the relief of the poor, and the help of those tossed by tempests of doubt or grief; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
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