Festival of St. Nicholas, Bishop and Confessor
Posted on December 6, 2023 by under
Scripture: Hebrews 10:19-25 (NKJV)
10:19 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and having a High Priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
Devotion
Today is the festival day of St. Nicholas, the real figure behind the commercialized icon which the world recognizes on Christmas. This real person was not a magical or mystical figure, but real flesh and blood. More than that, he was a servant of God, a bishop of the Church of Christ.
While he was known for his charitable gift-giving, the real Nicholas of Myra confessed and taught the truth of the Gospel and pointed his listeners to the greatest Christmas gift that has ever been given: the only-begotten Son of God, gifted to us by the Father of all mercies to redeem fallen mankind from its sins. This is also why we Christians celebrate the Nativity with gift-giving and acts of love. It is not to distract us from the cold and sometimes grim weather of winter, not to overload the senses with the superficial trinkets and songs of the season, but to remind one another that “every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning” (James 1:17).
It is good for us to remember historical figures such as the saints of the Church, because it reminds us that our faith is not based on myths or fables, but on the historical Gospel account of our Savior.
Collect: Stir up, we beseech Thee, Thy power, O Lord, and come, that by Thy protection we may be rescued from the threatening perils of our sins, and saved by Thy mighty deliverance; who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Collect for the Festival of St. Nicholas, Bishop and Confessor
O Lord, hear our prayers to Thee on this day of St. Nicholas, Thy Confessor and Bishop, that as Thou didst lead him to render faithful service to Thee, Thou wouldst lead us to faithfully confess our hope in Thy salvation, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
