On Parliament Hill

Nicholas, a Christian Bishop in Turkey, heard of the plight of a family in his community: a father who had lost all his money, and his three daughters who, unable to marry, might be forced into prostitution.

Filled with compassion, Nicholas slipped out under the cover of darkness to the man’s house, and through an open window he dropped a bag of money – enough for the first daughter to marry.

Two more times he did this, secretly giving from his own pocket to help this family in need.

The third time the father caught him and, falling to his knees, he asked what he could ever do to repay Nicholas’s generosity?

Nicholas asked only one thing: that the man not reveal what he, Nicholas, had done.

He did, and 1700 years later we still celebrate Saint Nicholas’s generosity by practicing charity and giving gifts at Christmastime.

We do this because at Christmas, we commemorate the greatest gift of all, the birth of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world – Jesus who would give the gift of His own life for the sins of humanity.

It was this gift of salvation that inspired and spurred St. Nicholas, along with countless other Christians through the centuries, to works of love and good deeds. To care for the poor and the sick, the orphan and the widow, and to boldly proclaim the good news brought by the angel to the shepherds long ago:

“Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger… Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, among people with whom He is pleased.”

That same peace and joy is still available, as is the love that has the power to cast out all fear and inspire great acts of generosity.

It’s up to each one of us, personally, to accept this gift. What better time than Christmas?

To all my constituents, and all Canadians, I wish you a very Merry Christmas, and a blessed New Year.