Advent Reflection for December 6 - St Nicholas

On December 6 of each year in the midst of our Advent celebrations, we celebrate the feast day of St. Nicholas, a bishop from what is now a region on modern-day Turkey, and from whom the tradition of Santa Claus in the modern Christian world is at least partially derived.  Most of us probably picture St Nick as a benevolent & generous gift-giver, but what we know about the historical St. Nicholas is a bit different.  He was a very passionate defender of the faith who is said to have knocked down the heretic Arius with a physical blow during the Council of Nicaea in the fourth century.  He staunchly defended the poor and the powerless, preventing an imperial servant from carrying out the sentence of capital punishment on three poor immigrants.  He also intervened with the Roman Emperor Constantine, demanding justice for the poor of the city of Myra, who were oppressed by the burden of unjustly high taxes.  Many stories were passed down about Nicholas, with his legend and reputation for helping other inspiring the gift giving and generosity of the Christmas season. Perhaps the facts we know about Nicholas makes him more of an Advent figure than our image of him as kind and gentle. May the spirit and example of St Nicholas inspire us this Advent season.