Happy holidays to our Mount Mary University community and others who have taken time out of their busy schedules for some light reading! It’s busy, busy here at Mount Mary with everyone scrambling to put the last touches on final projects and put things in order for Winter Break. I can just picture our alumnae reading this with a smirk on their faces thinking, “Thank goodness that’s not me anymore.” Yes, we have finals, but December gives us so many other things to look forward to: children putting out stockings and shoes hoping to find a treat within, candle-lit windows, and the company of our loved ones. St. Nick’s day is right around the corner, so yes stock up, Santa Clause, but don’t forget what you’re celebrating.
Many only know Saint Nick as the guy that fills stockings or shoes as a prelude to Christmas, but where did these traditions originate? Saint Nicholas lived an exemplary life that few know about.
Like so many other saints, Nicholas heard and heeded God’s call to “sell what you have and give the money to the poor.” As a young man, during a time where Christians were persecuted by the Roman emperor, he dedicated his life to God.
In one story, Saint Nicholas knew a poor man with three daughters. The poor father fretted over the sad truth that his daughters would surely be sold into slavery because, without dowries, they would not be suitable marriage partners. However, for three nights, Saint Nicholas came by the house and tossed a small bag of gold through the window, which would land in shoes or stockings drying by the fireplace. Therefore, children set out shoes and stockings on December 6th, “St. Nick’s day,” in hopes of finding their own special treat.
Saint Nicholas was widely known to the people for his generosity to those in need, his love of children, and his concern for others. How many of us can say we serve our neighbors not because we’re paid but because we want to? How many of us can say we loved our neighbors well or extended forgiveness and friendship to our enemies? When was the last time you asked someone how they were doing with genuine curiosity? We’re all people with very different needs, and each one of us has the ability to make a positive difference in the lives of others.
Like Saint Nicholas, we all have special gifts that we are meant to share with others. He had a passion for children and a caring heart. I’ve been blessed with a beautiful voice, a practical mind, and a deep passion for social justice, and you have equally useful and special gifts as well. That’s the true spirit of this season: finding out what you have to offer others and fulfilling that to the best of your ability. Surround yourself with people who bring out your best qualities and encourage their expression. It’s time to embrace our neighbors and love them the way we love ourselves. At least for the holiday season, explore what makes you special and how you can use your gifts.
That’s a challenge.
“Pax et bonum” or “peace and all good” to you and yours.
Michaela Peterson Mount Mary University Women’s Leadership Institute student blogger
Mount Mary University Women's Leadership Institute 