The reason for the season is...

  • Published
  • By Chaplain (Capt.) David Black
  • 325th Fighter Wing
22 December 2006 --  Chaplain (Capt.) David Black
325th Fighter Wing

There are a myriad of amazing stories about St. Nicholas that were told and re-told by sailors as they traveled all over the world.
The real St. Nicholas was a devout man who was well known as a defender of the downtrodden. He was born in a Greek village, in what is now southern Turkey, probably around 260-280 AD.
As a layman, he astounded people by being popularly elected as Bishop of Myra (modern day Demre, Turkey). He was a man of strong convictions who lived out the qualities he believed his Lord was calling him to. This included a generous desire to help those in need.
He is chosen as the special protector or "patron saint," more than any other saint in a great many classes of people, cities, churches and even countries.
Stories about St. Nicholas describe him as a man who embodied love, loved God and cared for people. He was ready to help in any way he could; he truly loved his neighbors as himself.
One story records how a poor man was afraid his three daughters would be sold into slavery at his death because he was too poor to afford a dowry for them to attract a husband. Mysteriously, as their socks and shoes dried by the fireplace, a bag of gold flew in and landed in the shoes solving the problem for one daughter. Then, again mysteriously, it happened two more times.
St. Nicholas was famous for such large acts of compassion. Thus, in celebrating this tradition, we hang our stockings by the fire in hopes that St. Nick will stuff them with a little "love."
When he was formally immortalized as a "saint" after his death, his life was celebrated every Dec. 6th as families followed the many traditions of serving and helping the unfortunate. They would also wait for the presence of
St. Nicholas to make an appearance bringing favor in many forms, not the least of which is gifts.
When you vary the pronunciation of his name, "SaintNi Cholas" you get Santa Claus. And so, his legendary life lives on.
From my own perspective of faith, I see St. Nicholas as a follower of Jesus, who exemplifies what "real" love is. Jesus' birth, which is celebrated as "Christmas," is connected with the life of St. Nick in our contemporary version.
For a period of time, the Massachusetts Bay Colony in Boston actually banned Christmas for political reasons - it reminded them of England and religious reasons, it was too secular and materialistic and it had no real biblical rooting as the actual birthday of Jesus.
This Puritan avoidance of an official Christmas holiday became a formal ban on May 11, 1659, but was repealed after only 22 years.
As Dutch, German, Anglican and Catholic settlers arrived in America in greater numbers, they brought with them their Christmas traditions as a central part of their religious lives because they wanted to continue their old traditions in the New World.
Eventually, the Dec. 25 celebration of Christmas was joined with the Dec. 6 St. Nicholas gifting holiday at the insistence of the Dutch settlers.
This combination eventually evolved into our modern day Dec. 25 official holiday that has inspired most of the world.
With all of these complex historical events, we can ask, "What is the 'reason for the season?'"
Let me suggest the reason must be love - the kind of love needed for a vibrant and enriching Christmas best associated with charity, the type of charity that Christians believe God showed in giving his only Son to the world, the type of love so powerfully manifested in the life and stories of St. Nicholas, who generously cared for the poor and needy.
For this Christmas, in the words of his master the Lord, may we all "Go and do likewise!"