As far as not celebrating Santa, it feels like my little family is in the minority. We have never given our kids gifts from Santa and it really hasn't bothered them, except that they get fewer gifts than many of their friends. A few years ago I started adding St. Nicholas to our Advent because "Santa" is everywhere. Rather than pretending he doesn't dominate Christmas, we celebrate who he was on one of the Advent days. Usually December 6, on St. Nicholas Day. The kids put out their shoes by the door the night before and they find a chocolate Santa or some treat in the morning.
This year we are doing something a little different. Instead of just talking about St. Nicholas we will be talking about other men of God past and present. The following are interesting facts of just a few.
St. Nicholas
His parents died when he was a
young man, leaving him well off and he determined to devote his inheritance to
works of charity. An opportunity soon arose. This came to the ears of Nicholas,
who thereupon took a bag of gold and, under cover of darkness threw it in at
the open window of the man's house. Later St. Nicholas was indicated to be
the new bishop. This was at the time of the persecutions at the beginning of
the fourth century. Nicholas was seized by the magistrates, tortured, then
chained and thrown into prison with many other Christians. (http://www.catholic.org/saints)
St. Patrick
St.
Patrick was born around 385 in Scotland. When he was 14 he was captured and
taken to Ireland as
a slave. During his captivity, he turned
to God in
prayer. Patrick's captivity lasted until he was twenty, when he escaped after having
a dream from God. He reunited with his
family. He had another dream in which the people of Ireland were
calling out to him. Later, Patrick was ordained a bishop, and was sent to take
the Gospel to Ireland. Patrick preached
and converted all of Ireland for 40
years. He worked many miracles and wrote of his love for God. After years of living in poverty, and enduring much suffering he died March 17, 461. (http://www.catholic.org/saints)
St.
Valentine
Valentinus was a Roman priest martyred during the reign of Claudius the Goth [Claudius II]. Since he was caught marrying Christian couples and aiding any Christians who were being persecuted under Emperor Claudius in Rome [when helping them was considered a crime], Valentinus was arrested and imprisoned. Claudius took a liking to this prisoner -- until Valentinus made a strategic error: he tried to Sconvert the Emperor -- whereupon this priest was condemned to death. He was beaten with clubs and stoned; when that didn't do it, he was beheaded outside the Flaminian Gate [circa 269]. (http://www.catholic.org/saints)
Valentinus was a Roman priest martyred during the reign of Claudius the Goth [Claudius II]. Since he was caught marrying Christian couples and aiding any Christians who were being persecuted under Emperor Claudius in Rome [when helping them was considered a crime], Valentinus was arrested and imprisoned. Claudius took a liking to this prisoner -- until Valentinus made a strategic error: he tried to Sconvert the Emperor -- whereupon this priest was condemned to death. He was beaten with clubs and stoned; when that didn't do it, he was beheaded outside the Flaminian Gate [circa 269]. (http://www.catholic.org/saints)
St.
Francis of Assise
Francis enjoyed a very rich easy life. Francis became the
leader of a crowd of young people who spent their nights in wild parties. Francis
wanted to be a noble, a knight. Battle was the best place to win the glory and prestige he longed
for. He got his first chance when Assisi declared war on their long time enemy. Most of the
troops from Assisi were butchered in the
fight. Only those wealthy enough to expect to be ransomed were taken prisoner. After
a year in the dungeon, he was ransomed. Strangely, the experience didn't seem
to change him. He gave himself to partying with as much joy and abandon as he
had before the battle. Finally a call for knights for the Fourth Crusade gave
him a chance for his dream of glory. But Francis never got farther than one
day's ride from Assisi. There he had a dream in which God told him he had it all
wrong and told him to return home. Francis started to spend more time in prayer. He went off
to a cave and wept for his sins. His search for conversion led him to the ancient
church at San Damiano. While he was praying there, he heard Christ on the crucifix speak
to him, "Francis, repair my church." Wearing
nothing but castoff rags, he went off into the freezing woods -- singing. And
when robbers beat him later and took his clothes, he climbed out of the ditch
and went off singing again. From then on Francis had nothing... and everything. He
was going to do what no one thought possible any more -- live by the Gospel. Francis
did not try to abolish poverty, he tried to make it holy. Francis' final years
were filled with suffering as well as humiliation. Years of poverty and wandering had made
Francis ill. Francis never recovered from this illness. He died on October 4,
1226 at the age of 45. (http://www.catholic.org/saints)
Stephen –“Now Stephen, a man full
of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue..who began to argue with Stephen.. So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. They produced false witnesses who testified, "This fellow never stops speaking against the holy place and against the law." All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel (Stephen preached Jesus to them) When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. "Look," he said, "I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God." At this they covered their ears and yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." (Acts 6).
John the Baptist - John was beheaded at the
request of Salome, daughter of Herodias, who asked for his head at the instigation
of her mother. John inspired many of his
followers to follow Christ when he designated Him "the Lamb of
God," among them Andrew and John, who came to know Christ Christ through John's preaching. (Matt 14)
Peter - Peter is said to have been crucified
under Emperor Nero. It is traditionally held that he was crucified upside down
at his own request, since he saw himself unworthy to be crucified in the same
way as Jesus Christ. (http://www.catholic.org/saints)
Paul - was
beheaded.
Heb 11 Heros of faith
“And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about
Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered
kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the
mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and
routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured,
refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. Some faced jeers and
flogging, and
even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning; they were
sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— the world was not worthy
of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground. These were all commended for their faith.
Philip James Elliot (1956)
was an evangelical Christian who was one of five missionaries killed while participating in Operation Auca, an attempt to evangelize the Waodani people of Ecuador. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Elliot)
Current from Voice of the Martrs http://www.persecution.com/:
Farshid
Fathi was arrested on Dec. 26, 2010 in a wave of arrests of believers in Tehran
and other areas. Of the 22 believers arrested by security forces in Tehran, 10
were released after intense questioning and after they signed agreements to
refrain from Christian activities. Eleven others were also later released. By
the end of April, 2010, only Farshid remained in prison, though his family had
paid an enormous bail sum. He spent nearly a year in solitary confinement. According to Elam Ministries, Farshid is a
shining beacon for Christ in Evin. Farshid is married to Leila, and has two
children, Rosana and Bardia. Pray that they will be comforted during this time.
Pray for steadfast endurance, deep Godly peace and for protection for Farshid
in prison. Pray he will remain a shining light in prison and pray for his
release. He has been held 712 days.
Alireza Seyyedian is a 37-year-old
former Muslim who has been a Christian since 2006. Last year, security forces
confiscated his computer during a raid on his apartment. Authorities then
discovered video of Alireza’s baptism in Turkey on the computer. In December
2011 he was sentenced to six years in prison, for crimes against national
security and propaganda against the regime. He
was arrested and transported back to Tehran where he was imprisoned in Evin
prison. According to one report, the conditions of this section of the prison
are unsanitary, and each cell is overcrowded with around 30 political
prisoners. Alireza has been held 268 days.
Eva Abdallah, 17, welcomed Christ into
her life three years ago, though she grew up Muslim. After her conversion, her
parents disowned her. Her father is a district Islamic leader. She lived with a
Christian pastor until she was arrested. A group of radicals in her hometown of
Bagamoyo on Tanzania’s coast sought to convince her to give up her new
Christian faith. When she refused, they falsely accused her of urinating on a
Quran, Islam’s holy book. Eva was arrested and put in prison. At her trial on
July 23, the judge, who was allegedly bribed by the Islamic militants who
accused her, sentenced Eva to two years imprisonment. A Voice Of the Martrs
contact visited Eva in October. He wrote that he was greeted by two Christian
female guards who are caring for Eva. They both promised to help keep her safe.
She has been held 338 days.
For the Lord loves justice, And does not forsake His saints; They are
preserved forever, But the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off. (Psalm
37:28)
Precious in the sight of
the Lord Is the death of His saints. (Psalm 116:15)
But blessed are those who
trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees
are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their
leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.
Jeremiah 17:7-8
has no fear… or so I thought. He seems to be very brave and throws caution to the wind. Of course he is the only one in our family who has experienced broken bones. Even though he scares me half to death with his stunts and tricks, I admire his courage. So, I was very surprised and frustrated when he was paralysed by fear.
