St. Barbara Young Adults

Today we celebrate the feast of St. Nicholas of Myra. The Saint of the Day feature at Americancatholic.com describes his legendary charity:

Perhaps the best-known story about Nicholas concerns his charity toward a poor man who was unable to provide dowries for his three daughters of marriageable age. Rather than see them forced into prostitution, Nicholas secretly tossed a bag of gold through the poor man’s window on three separate occasions, thus enabling the daughters to be married. Over the centuries, this particular legend evolved into the custom of gift-giving on the saint’s feast. In the English-speaking countries, St. Nicholas became, by a twist of the tongue, Santa Claus—further expanding the example of generosity portrayed by this holy bishop.

May he serve as a model for us as we consider giving not only to our friends and relatives, but to all who are in need.