On the eve of St. Nicholas I'm thinking of saints and their effect on people's lives. St. Christopher - Christ - Bearer - "topher" - bore the Christ child safely across a wide river. St. Nicholas is known as the patron saint of the poor, children and sailors due to numerous legends based in some fact about the actual Nicholas of Myra (ancient Syria) a bishop that saved certain young poor girls from lives sold into slavery, by tossing bags of gold coins over their garden wall so that they could have a dowry and be properly married. He also is said to have been traveling on a boat besieged by storm which mades its way safely to port due to his prayers - thus the poor, children, and sailors. In the current clime we could say he was an advocate for women's rights as well. Tomorrow certain countries, like the Netherlands and Belgium, celebrate his birth by placing shoes at the hearth which are then filled with candy, gingerbread, oranges and chocolate gold coins. This is what we did as children and Dec 6 has always been true Christmas for me as opposed to the more glittery holiday with presents and tinsel a few weeks later.
On this eve of his feast day I think of Greek coast guard men traveling the same Mediterranean waters as St. Nicholas and bearing Syrian, Somalie and other children to safety against the greater odds that they will meet death in cold waters after falling out of a tiny over crowded raft. My wish is that St. Nicholas look over them in their tasks.
On this eve of his feast day I think of Greek coast guard men traveling the same Mediterranean waters as St. Nicholas and bearing Syrian, Somalie and other children to safety against the greater odds that they will meet death in cold waters after falling out of a tiny over crowded raft. My wish is that St. Nicholas look over them in their tasks.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please tell me what good thing you encountered today.