St. Nicholas of Myra

There have been many legends concerning St. Nicholas but exactly who is Nicholas?

Nicholas, was born into a relatively prosperous family around the third century, in the town of Patara, Turkey. He was fortunate in that both of his parents were Christians and passed on their Faith to their son, before they died from an epidemic which had affected the whole region.

Being that Nicholas parents were so very devout upon receiving his inheritance, the young Nicholas gave all his wealth to the poor. He had taken Jesus Gospel message of selling all you have to aid the poor seriously and so he did. For the young Nicholas did not hanker after 'worldly' goods, for he had seen with the death of his own parents, that life was short so be generous now and do not hesitate to give.

But Nicholas gave more than his money; he also dedicated his life to serving the poor, visiting the sick and lonely. His love of God shone through everything he did and his cheerful exterior hid the interior penances and sacrifices he made for the salvation of souls.

At a very young age Nicholas was ordained a Bishop in the region of Myra, but though he gained this honour at a young age, Nicholas kept his humility and meekness of spirit to the forefront, as he continued to live a simple life of helping his flock.

And through the example of Jesus, Bishop Nicholas shepherded his people well, even unto experiencing miracles. But also like Jesus Bishop Nicholas was also subjected to imprisonment and various humiliations under the evil leadership of Emperor Diocletian.

Bishop Nicholas was released from imprisonment as he was able to attend the Council of Nicaea in the year 325 AD, though some historians dispute this.

But what we do know of St. Nicholas is that he was a kind, gentle and generous man who tended to the welfare of the people in his region, while always keeping a gentle and humble heart.

There have been many stories attributed to St. Nicholas one of these being that the Bishop upon hearing that a father was destitute and was trying to sell his own daughters into slavery. Bishop Nicholas very quickly intervened and saved both father and daughters from a catastrophe, for in those times, it was necessary for each daughter to have a dowry. The poor father had no money, but through the compassionate intervention of Bishop Nicholas, the home of this man was kept safe, as at different times bags of gold would appear at this fathers home which supplied his daughters with the necessary dowry.

Another story is that of three students who upon traveling in a dangerous region were murdered, Bishop Nicholas saw what had happened in a dream and was horrified! As he happened to be close by the Bishop went immediately to the murdered students and upon praying over their dead bodies, all three students rose from the dead.

There is much more to Saint Nicholas than his giving presents to the poor, for Bishop Nicholas gave them a treasure greater than any present, he gave them his love.

And it is this love that should be the real lesson of Christmas, in that St. Nicholas gave of himself to all he met in living out the Gospel message of Jesus Christ. It is through the example of St. Nicholas that we learn Christmas is not about buying the best; it is about giving the best of yourself to benefit others in a spirit of love and compassion.

Merry Christmas to you ALL

Peace of Christ

Copyright © 2005 Marie Smith. All rights reserved.

Blessed Leonid Feodorov

Russia is a land of melancholy poets and writers, where the dark and wintry nights lay bear the souls loneliness and lights the flame of some of Russia's greatest writers and artisans.

In a landscape as harsh as Russia, the people have learnt over generations to be stoic of heart and long suffering by nature. For at the core of Russia lay its people and their struggle to overcome poverty, persecution and war.

The Russian people are not known for their timidity, but for their fierceness, for to live well in Russia one had to learn to survive at a very young age or perish. It is a land of contrasts, where Palaces live alongside hovels and nature alongside polluted factories, a land of revolutions and times of peace. But in the end Russia is about survivors.

Into this harsh landscape was born Leonid Feodorov in the year 1879 at Saint Petersburg. Unfortunately for the young Leonid his father died while he was young and it was left to his forceful mother, Liubova to raise him. She did so with every means available to her, in that she longed for her son to gain the education needed to get on in life and not live a life of mere existence.

Towards this end Liubova sent her son to the Orthodox Ecclesiastical Academy where he stayed for a couple of years. But it was at this school that he began to question his Orthodox Faith and as the questions mounted in his heart, so he leaned more and more towards Catholicism.

During this time Leonid began attending services at Saint Catherine’s Catholic Church, and so began a friendship with the Priest of this parish, Fr. Jan Szyslawski, who knowing of Leonid’s confusion was able to lend him books from the parish library.

So during the long wintry nights Leonid would stay up late and read these books on the Catholic faith, its teachings and its Traditions. But the more Leonid learnt the more dissatisfied he became with Orthodox teachings. These were perplexing times for the young Leonid as questions soon became resolutions as to which way God was calling him.

Upon talking to the Rector of his school, Leonid decided to visit Rome and on the way stayed at L'viv with his friend Andrew Sheptystsky, before continuing his journey, both physically and spiritually.

It was in 1902 that Leonid made his decision to convert to the Catholic Faith, where he was presented to Pope Leo III and entered the Pontifical College at Anagni. He struggled at first to master both Italian and Latin but with his usual tenacity it didn’t take Leonid long to be fluent in both languages.

Great things began to happen in Leonid’s life as he attended the coronation of Saint Pius X and when in 1905 he gained his Doctorate in Philosophy and a Bachelor of Theology. In gaining these degrees the next step would be the Priesthood but before taking this step Leonid first became a Deacon where he was ordained by Bishop Michael Mirov of Constantinople. Leonid was then ordained a Priest a few weeks later by the same Bishop.

Though Leonid had proved himself to be of vast intellect it was the monastic life which he felt compelled to follow and so Fr. Leonid entered a Monastic Order in Bosnia under the guidance of the starets, Elder Josaphat. And it was Fr. Josaphat that gave Leonid his tonsure and little habit, where upon Leonid took the name Father Leontios.

But politics was never far away and the Serbian people were very much opposed to having a Catholic monastery in their midst and so in the year 1913, the little monastery was closed.

So in 1913 as the political situation destabilised in Serbia Fr. Leonid decided to return to his homeland, Russia where he could then embark on evangelising the people. But fate was not to be kind to Fr. Leonid who's faith would soon be tempered in steel. For upon arriving in St. Petersburg he was arrested and sent to Tobolsk a very inhospitable land in the Ural Mountains, where he spent the next 3 years.

But things did not quieten down as rumours of revolution swirled around the courts of Imperial Russia. So in haste Leonid was proclaimed a Bishop of the Russian Catholic Church, this was done in secrecy as even the Royal Czar was opposed to a Catholic 'presence'.

It was during this time that Exarch Leonid remembered a prophetic statement he had made when he was at Anagni, "Russia will not repent without travelling the Red Sea of the blood of her martyrs and numerous sufferings of her apostles." How true his words would be, much to his and his people's sorrow.

And so it was that the red terror would launch itself upon the world in the form of its leader Lenin a name synonymous with evil. And under the Communist regime the persecution of the Church began, for Lenin understood that the greatest threat to his power would come from the Catholic Church.

And so the order went out to arrest Catholic Priests, Monsignors and Bishops among which was Bishop Leonid Feodorov. During the bogus trial Bishop Leonid was sentenced to 10 years in prison in Siberia.

These were hard and difficult years for Bishop Leonid, in such an unforgiving terrain as Siberia, but through it all his Faith sustained him and his prayer life strengthened him for the rigours which lay ahead of him.

Bishop Leonid would find himself released and upon practicing his Faith he would then be re-arrested but his Faith in God was tempered in steel and the communists could never break this heart forged in the love of God and the Church.

For nothing would stand in the way of this indomitable Bishop as he secretly held Mass and gave Catechism classes to the youth and those who wished to learn about the Catholic Church.

Through it all, confusion, decision, peace, war, revolution and persecution. Bishop Leonid’s Faith remained intact if not strengthened by his ordeals.

Bishop Leonid Feodorov died in 1935.

Blessed Leonid Feodorov was beatified in 2001 by Pope John Paul II.

Peace of Christ to ALL

Copyright © 2005 Marie Smith. All rights reserved.

Saint Clare of Assisi

Clare was born into a noble family in the year 1194, they were able to maintain their comfortable living style due to the good business acumen of her father, Favorino Scifi, and the large estates he owned. But this comfortable existence meant little to the young Clare, who learnt her Faith from her very devout mother, Ortolana, who taught Clare at a very young age to pray and place God at the centre of her life.

It was also through observing her mother's actions when practicing the corporal works of mercy which in later life would distinguish Clare from her contemporaries. For unlike many wealthy people, Ortolana treated those who were less well off with due respect and consideration, her daughter Clare would later emulate this care for the poor without demeaning their dignity.

And even though war at times disrupted the family's daily routine it did not lead them to doubt God's Wisdom as the Scifi household accepted all as if it were from the hand of God.

But from early childhood Clare gravitated towards a prayerful encounter with her beloved Jesus and also practiced many penances and mortifications which was considered normal for the age that she lived in. This is not to say that Clare was dour and gloomy, for within Clare lay a glowing light of love for God and for people which shone within her so that many who would come into contact with her felt blessed by this remarkable young lady.

Because Clare was born into the nobility this also meant that she was highly intelligent, eloquent and could correspond with clarity her idea's and thoughts to others in a way that articulated her longing to become closer to her Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. But though Clare was learned she loved God from her heart with a simplicity that was granted to few.

Clare was also a strong woman who knew her own mind and where her heart was guiding her, and though she had this inner strength it was matched with an equal amount of humility and meekness. And through her correspondence she shared her thoughts on the depths of her spirituality and what it means to love God with all of ones entire being.

And though strong of heart and mind, she was also highly intuitive and embraced her femininity without vanity. For upon Clare's face was always a smile no matter what difficulties she was facing or how many interior trials she was undergoing, Clare kept her sense of self, by acknowledging that all she had came from a loving God, therefore nothing belonged to her, not even her thoughts.

To love God is to mirror His Divinity; Clare did this beautifully as she displayed a love and generosity towards all with a spirit of joy and tranquility. For Clare needed no artifice to impress others, but instead lived to please God.

So through deep prayer Clare sought out what was God's Will when it came to living her life so it was that Francis came into her life at a crucial moment. For like Francis, Clare had a burning desire and a zealous spirit to love God till it costs; she was not a woman for halfway measures. Upon hearing Francis speak at the Cathedral of San Rufino, Clare was deeply impressed and moved to contact this fiery but sensitive man of peace who embraced and lived the fire of God's Majestic love.

It was through seeing Francis and his zealous love for God that was to be the start of Clare's spiritual quest to serve and love God through prayer and service to those in need. And so Clare in great secrecy met Francis in the company of her Aunt and upon hearing her ardent desire to serve God, Francis then accepted this erstwhile young lady into his way of life and spirituality. So in complete humility Clare lay aside all her fine garments and replaced them with worn out rags stitched together to form a habit. And further it was Francis who clipped her beautiful hair as a sign of her obedience and lack of vanity.

Upon taking these actions Clare then went to live with the Benedictines nuns at San Paolo, her she continued to live a life of deep austerity and a continued her prayer life as one beloved of God. But even though Clare's happiness was complete not everyone felt this same joy, for her father objected vigorously to the steps his beautiful daughter had taken and tried to forcibly remove her from the Convent.

But Clare was formidable when it came to matters of Faith and though she loved her father, she loved God more and so she with a gentle but firm heart refused to leave the Mission on which she and Francis had embarked on. And so Clare with great fortitude and determination lived her religious life with gentleness and humility, she would later be joined by her sister, Agnes, and later still by her own very devout mother.

Through all these ordeals Clare never lost her peace of heart nor ever felt discouraged and with real burning passion she tried to emulate the life of our Lord in her own small way. Francis was also busy as he searched for a place for Clare and her small band of companions to set up their own community.

So it was that Francis rebuilt for his religious sisters their own communal Convent at San Damiano, through the generosity of the Benedictines. This was the first steps in Clare's and Francis shared vision of loving God through a life of prayer and poverty, the little Convent they lived in became the Order of Poor Ladies, which in time would be recognised as the 'poor Clares'.

But not all things would work smoothly as both Clare and Francis came up against obstacles in the way their Order would be lived and the spirituality of total poverty met objections in some quarters. At first Clare was obliged to live much as the Benedictines did, but this did not suit Francis nor Clare's vision of their Order.

What Clare objected to most strongly was the idea that her Sisters could acquire and keep some property, this went against the spirit of Francis and also her own ideals of total and absolute poverty. So Clare could not agree to the terms suggested by Cardinal Ugolino and held out with true perseverance whilst not becoming belligerent towards those in authority.

So Clare kept to her austere way of living by going without shoes, eating no meat and surviving on meagre rations in order to maintain the integrity of her and Francis love of lady poverty. There has also been much written about her dearly loved Francis and his mystical experiences, Clare also shared in her own mystical gifts which led her even more to a greater depth of love and the knowledge of how little she was and how great was God. For God also worked miracles through the loving heart of Clare, such as when a heavy door fell on her and her sisters were filled with horror that their loved Mother Abbess had been badly injured, instead Clare rose as if nothing had touched her. And also when the community ran out of oil, Clare blessed an empty oil jar which miraculously was filled with olive oil. Many times Clare would be called to bless the sick that made their way to her, and upon receiving her blessing and prayers they were immediately healed.

Clare and Francis had a mutual love and respect for one another and were devoted companions in their love of God and to share this love and zealousness to all they met. Theirs was a special friendship of soul kinship, touched by the Divine to embrace one another as true brother and true sister in Christ. They embodied purity in its most perfect form that of a woman’s sensitivity and a man's strength to conform to the Divine Will, which they both did with perfect humility and supplication. So it must have brought Clare true grief and also paradoxically true joy when her beloved brother in Christ, Francis took his last breath. So Clare continued to live out the spirituality embraced and fostered by Francis.

So it was that during the canonization of her beloved Francis that Clare was provided the opportunity to converse eloquently to Pope Gregory IX when he arrived at San Damiano. Clare pleaded with the Pope to allow her to remain true to her mission of total and absolute poverty. It was through the dynamic quality of Clare's own character that swayed Pope Gregory IX to acquiesce to her request to embrace fully lady poverty.

But Clare's ordeal was not over as upon the death of Pope Gregory IX, a new Pope was proclaimed who then decided to mitigate some of the more austere Rules of the Poor Ladies. Clare once again pleaded with Pope Innocent IV to allow her to keep her Order as it was, strictly based on the utmost ideal of poverty and relying totally on God's Providence to provide for them.

But all these battles took its toll and though Clare was a woman of great strength and courage, the primitive conditions of her time placed a heavy burden on her health. But it was in the last days of Clare's life that Pope Innocent IV agreed with Clare and approved the conditions of extreme poverty.

Clare Scifi died in 1253.

Saint Clare was canonized in 1255 by Pope Alexander IV.

Some Quotes

"Place your mind before the mirror of eternity! Place your soul in the brilliance of glory and transform your entire being into the image of the Godhead Itself through contemplation."

Go forth in peace, for you have followed the good road. Go forth without fear, for he who created you has made you holy, has always protected you, and loves you as a mother. Blessed be you, my God, for having created me."

"Behold, I say, the birth of this mirror. Behold Christ's poverty even as he was laid in the manger and wrapped in swaddling clothes. What wondrous humility, what marvelous poverty! The King of angels, the Lord of heaven and earth resting in a manger! Look more deeply into the mirror and meditate on his humility, or simply on his poverty. Behold the many labors and sufferings he endured to redeem the human race. Then, in the depths of this very mirror, ponder his unspeakable love which caused him to suffer on the wood of the cross and to endure the most shameful kind of death. The mirror himself, from his position on the cross, warned passers-by to weigh carefully this act, as he said: "All of you who pass by this way, behold and see if there is any sorrow like mine." Let us answer his cries and lamentations with one voice and one spirit: "I will be mindful and remember, and my soul will be consumed within me."

Peace of Christ to you ALL

Copyright © 2005 Marie Smith. All rights reserved.