The Family-Centered Life

Dec 06, 2007

The Everyday Miracle of St. Nicholas

Happy feast of St. Nicholas! Unfortunately I have no pictures to show you or stories to tell of surprises in shoes and special crafts. If you’re looking for that scroll down to the Catholic Mother’s Online blogroll in the sidebar and try a few random clicks. You’re sure to find some inspiring posts. But not here because though I had plans, they never came to fruition. I have sick children, a teething baby and a husband gone to visit his sick mother. Frankly I feel like a zombie because I haven’t been getting much sleep.

But even though things didn’t go quite as I had hoped, I realized this evening that I still had every opportunity to experience the true spirit of St. Nicholas. In his beautiful little book Seek That Which is Above, Pope Benedict XVI writes:

“Nicholas was one of the first people to be venerated as a saint without having been a martyr.

During the persecution of Christians, those who opposed the pagan state power and gave their lives for their faith had quite automatically become great examples of faith.

When peace was concluded between Church and state, people needed new models. Nicholas impressed them as one ready to help others.

His miracle was not that of great heroism in the face of torture, imprisonment and death. It was the miracle of constant kindness.”

“Whereas all the other miracles could be performed by magicians and demons and thus were ambivalent, one miracle was absolutely transparent and could not involve any deception, namely, that of living out the faith in everyday life for an entire lifetime and maintaining charity.”

Well, I am sorry to say I have not been particularly good at this lately. While not a bear exactly, lack of sleep has made me somewhat grouchy. So tomorrow I plan to do better and since my house has finally grown quiet after a day full of noise, I bid you goodnight.