ST NICHOLAS

Nicholas is said to have been a generous man who distributed his wealth to the poor. His most famous exploit is the one which has produced the legend of a man bringing presents down the chimney.

Nicholas heard of a godly man who could not afford proper dowries for his three daughters. This meant that they would remain unmarried. When he heard this, Nicholas decided to help them. However he did not wish to draw attention to his goodness, nor embarrass the family with the humiliation of receiving charity.

Therefore he went to the house at night and threw a purse filled with gold coins through a window. The father was able to arrange a marriage for his first daughter. Later Nicholas threw a second bag of gold through the same window at night.

After the second daughter was married, the father stayed awake for at least two nights and caught Nicholas about to send a third bag through the window. Nicholas ordered him not to tell anyone about the gifts.

The legend of St Nicholas is about generosity and support for the needy. It would be appropriate to celebrate his life with acts of generosity.

Instead we have a fat man in red to whom we say: ‘Give! Give!’ We have turned the legend upside down.

It is right that we hold celebrations to recall what God has done, it is right that we gather together and eat, it is an opportunity for us to be generous and bless each other with gifts. It is also right that we distance ourselves from the red idol which appears across the world at this time.