My beloved spiritual children in Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE. Ο ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ ΕΝ ΤΩ ΜΕΣΩ ΗΜΩΝ! ΚΑΙ ΗΝ ΚΑ ΕΣΤΙ ΚΑΙ ΕΣΤΑΙ.
SAINT NICHOLAS (Part II)
From childhood Saint Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia immersed himself on the study of Holy Scripture; by day he would not leave church, and by night he prayed and read books, making himself a worthy dwelling place for the Holy Spirit.
According to Orthodox tradition Saint Nicholas came to the aid of a certain formerly wealthy resident of Patara who was about to commit a grave sin. This man had three grown daughters, and in desperation he planned to turn them into prostitutes so they would have money for food. The Saint, learning of the man's evil intention, secretly visited his house one evening and threw a pouch of gold coins through the open window. With the money the man arranged a marriage for his first daughter. Saint Nicholas also provided gold coins for the other two daughters, thereby saving the girls from falling into complete destruction. The man wanted desperately to discover who was his benefactor and so he hid during the night to see him and thank him for saving his children. Much to his amazement he saw that it was the Archbishop, Saint Nicholas, ran after him, he fell on his knees, and with tears of remorse for what he was about to do, sought his forgiveness, and thanked him profusely.
Another time, the Bishop of Patara went on a pilgrimage to the Jerusalem and entrusted the faithful to Saint Nicholas. When the bishop returned, Saint Nicholas requested the bishop's blessing to also visit the Holy Land. Along the way Saint Nicholas predicted that a storm was coming and would threaten the ship. The Saint saw the devil get on board the ship, intending to sink it and kill all the passengers. Upon the appeal of the frighten pilgrims, Saint Nicholas calmed the waves of the sea by his prayers.
When Saint Nicholas reached the holy city of Jerusalem and came to Golgotha, he thanked Christ the Savior. He visited all the holy places, worshipping and praying at each one. One night on Mount Sion, the closed doors of the church opened by themselves for the Saint. While visiting the holy places he connected with the earthly ministry of the Savior and decided to withdraw into the desert, but he was stopped by a Divine voice urging him to return to his country. He returned to Lycia, and wanting a life of solitude, Saint Nicholas entered into the brotherhood of a monastery named Holy Sion, which had been founded by his saintly uncle. However the Lord Jesus Christ again directed him to a different path, "Nicholas, this is not the vineyard where you shall bear fruit for Me. Return to the world, and glorify My Name there." So he left Patara and returned to Myra in Lycia.
Upon the repose of Archbishop John, Saint Nicholas was elected to be the Bishop of Myra after one of the bishops of the Synod said that a new Archbishop should be revealed by God, not chosen by men. One of the senior bishops had a vision of a radiant man, who told him that the one who came to the church that night and was the first to enter should be consecrated Archbishop. He would be name Nicholas. The bishop went to the church at night to await Nicholas. The Saint, always the first to arrive at church, was stopped by the bishop, "What is your name, child?" he asked. God's chosen one replied, "My name is Nicholas, Master, and I am your servant."
Following his consecration as Archbishop, Saint Nicholas remained a great ascetic, appearing to his flock as an image of gentleness, kindness, and love for all the people of God.
Even during his life the Saint worked many miracles. One of the greatest was the deliverance from death of three men unjustly condemned by the governor, who has been bribed. The Saint boldly went up to the executioner and took his sword, already suspended over the heads of the condemned. The governor, denounced by Saint Nicholas for his wrong doing, repented and begged for forgiveness.
Witnessing this remarkable event were three military officers, who were sent to Phrygia by the emperor Constantine to put down a rebellion. They did not suspect that soon they would also be compelled to see the intercession of Saint Nicholas. Evil men slandered them before the emperor, and the officers were sentenced to death. Appearing to Saint Constantine in a dream, Saint Nicholas called on him to overturn the unjust sentence of the military officers.
Having reached old age, Saint Nicholas peacefully fell asleep in the Lord. His holy relics were preserved incorrupt in the local Cathedral Church and flowed with healing myrrh, from which many were cured of their illnesses. In the year 1087, his holy relics were taken to the Italian city of Bari, where they rest even today.
Saint Nicholas is the patron Saint of travelers, sea-farers in particular; and we also pray to him for deliverance from floods, poverty, on any other danger. He has promised to help those who remember his parents, Theophanes and Nonna.
Saint Nicholas is one of the best known and most beloved Saints of all time. (Source: Orthodox Church in America)
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"The Christian, approaching God with a prayer to Him, or to His Most Pure Mother, or to the Angels and Saints, in order to insure the success of his prayer, ought to try to resemble as far as possible the Lord Himself, or His Most-Pure Mother, or the Angels and Saints. In this lies the secret of drawing near to God, and of His speedily hearing our prayers" (Saint John of Kronstadt).
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"Fasting is a medicine; but a medicine, though it be never so profitable, becomes frequently useless owing to the unskillfulness of him who employs it. For it is necessary to know, moreover, the time when it should be applied, and the requisite quantity of it; and the nature of the country, and the season of the year; and the corresponding diet; as well as various other particulars; any of which, if one overlooks, he will mar all the rest that have been named. Now if, when the body needs healing, such exactness is required on our part, much more ought we, when our care is about the soul, and we seek to heal the distempers of the mind, to look, and to search into every particular with the utmost accuracy" (Saint John Chrysostom).
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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!"--Saint John Chrysostom
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With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+Father George