In our house full of boys the feast of St. Nicholas is a HUGE DEAL. No joke. The feast gathers so much excitement for our dear ones that around noon the day before little shoes begin to multiply in front of the fireplace and some try to sneak in an extra pair or two. It is a celebration filled with impromptu reenactments of the heretic, and fellow bishop, Arius getting an episcopal knuckle sandwich for denying the divinity of Christ, as well as favorites like “bishopswill” (bishopswyn - Dutch mulled wine) charcuterie, pickles, and other preserved foods. And who wouldn’t love the one day each year when it is perfectly acceptable to have chocolate and oranges for breakfast!?
But this year instead of commemorating this grit-filled saint as usual, we’re doing something more important.
Jumping the gun last year...
We’re postponing the partying for a requested day of penance.
Last month on November 11th, the feast of the idol cleaving St. Martin of Tours, a group of four exorcists put out an appeal to the faithful for December 6th to be set aside as a day of prayer, fasting, and other sacrifice in reparation for recent happenings in our Church. Their expressed goal for this endeavor: “driving out any diabolic influence within the Church that has been gained as a result of these recent events — along with any other events." (full text at bottom)
For St. Nicholas day these exorcists have specifically called for the offering of the above intention through:
- The Rosary
- An act of penance (E.g. fasting or another mortification)
- Prayers to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Additionally they encouraged for this day:
- An hour of Eucharistic Adoration
- The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
As December 6th is also the First Friday of the month - always dedicated to the Sacred Heart - the recommend prayers and Mass attendance are especially apropos. We'll be praying the follow prayers:
Act of Consecration of the Human Race
to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Most sweet Jesus, Redeemer of the human race, look down upon us humbly prostrate before Thy altar. We are Thine, and Thine we wish to be; but, to be more surely united with Thee, behold each one of us freely consecrates himself today to Thy Most Sacred Heart. Many indeed have never known Thee; many too, despising Thy precepts, have rejected Thee. Have mercy on them all, most merciful Jesus, and draw them to Thy Sacred Heart.
Be Thou King, O Lord, not only of the faithful who have never forsaken Thee, but also of the prodigal children who have abandoned Thee; grant that they may quickly return to their Father's house lest they die of wretchedness and hunger.
Be Thou King of those who are deceived by erroneous opinions, or whom discord keeps aloof; call them back to the harbor of truth and unity of faith, so that soon there may be but one flock and one Shepherd.
Be Thou King of all those who are still involved in the darkness of idolatry or of Islamism; refuse not to draw them all into the light and kingdom of God. Turn Thine eyes of mercy toward the children of that race, once Thy chosen people: of old they called down upon themselves the Blood of the Savior; may it now descend upon them a laver of redemption and of life.
Grant, O Lord, to Thy Church assurance of freedom and immunity from harm; give peace and order to all nations, and make the earth resound from pole to pole with one cry: Praise to the Divine Heart that wrought our salvation; to It be glory and Honor forever. Amen.
Act of Reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
O sweet Jesus, Whose overflowing charity for men is requited by so much forgetfulness, negligence and contempt, behold us prostrate before Thy altar eager to repair by a special act of homage the cruel indifference and injuries, to which Thy loving Heart is everywhere subject.
Mindful alas! that we ourselves have had a share in such great indignities, which we now deplore from the depths of our hearts, we humbly ask Thy pardon and declare our readiness to atone by voluntary expiation not only for our own personal offenses, but also for the sins of those, who, straying far from the path of salvation, refuse in their obstinate infidelity to follow Thee, their Shepherd and Leader, or, renouncing the vows of their baptism, have cast off the sweet yoke of Thy Law.
We are now resolved to expiate each and every deplorable outrage committed against Thee; we are determined to make amends for the manifold offenses against Christian modesty in unbecoming dress and behavior, for all the foul seductions laid to ensnare the feet of the innocent, for the frequent violations of Sundays and holidays, and the shocking blasphemies uttered against Thee and Thy Saints.
We wish also to make amends for the insults to which Thy Vicar on earth and Thy priests are subjected, for the profanation, by conscious neglect or terrible acts of sacrilege, of the very Sacrament of Thy Divine Love; and lastly for the public crimes of nations who resist the rights and teaching authority of the Church which Thou hast founded.
Would, O divine Jesus, we were able to wash away such abominations with our blood. We now offer, in reparation for these violations of Thy divine honor, the satisfaction Thou didst once make to Thy eternal Father on the cross and which Thou dost continue to renews daily on our altars; we offer it in union with the acts of atonement of Thy Virgin Mother and all the Saints and of the pious faithful on earth; and we sincerely promise to make recompense, as far as we can with the help of Thy grace, for all neglect of Thy great love and for the sins we and others have committed in the past. Henceforth we will live a life of unwavering faith, of purity of conduct, of perfect observance of the precepts of the gospel and especially that of charity. We promise to the best of our power to prevent other from offending Thee and to bring as many as possible to follow Thee.
O loving Jesus, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, our model in reparation, deign to receive the voluntary offering we make of this act of expiation; and by the crowning gift of perseverance keep us faithful unto death in our duty and the allegiance we owe to Thee, so that we may one day come to that happy home, where Thou with the Father and the Holy Ghost livest and reignest God, world without end. Amen.
So this Advent our family is doing things a little differently for St. Nicholas Day. We're putting off our fun and doing the unpopular thing. We'll do the requested acts of penance and bump our usual December 6th observances to the next day, which just so happens to be the feast of St. Ambrose, another bishop that battled Arianism but fought with music instead of fists.
Won’t you join us?
Pax,
Genie
Update:
There have been a few questions as to why these Exorcists chose the Feast of St. Nicholas as the date of this act of reparation. Some suggested they should have just used the upcoming Advent Ember Days or probably didn't know what feast day the 6th is - and that some Catholics actually make it a point to observe it at home. While I don't presume to know the minds of these exorcists, a few reasons came to my mind as to why this was the day they chose. But first to be clear, I find the idea ludicrous that the exorcists, like all priests that are required say Mass and pray the daily office, would not know how to read a calendar.
That being said, my thoughts on this date choice are:
- This could be an “above my pay grade” moment. These exorcists deal with the diabolical on a regular basis so I wouldn’t be surprised if this is a situation where they know more about the present state of demonic activity in the world than the lowly, average Catholic faithful. Thankfully, we aren’t required to fully understand it for our acts to be efficacious.
2. It is First Friday, which is set aside for reparation and honor to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, also the last one of the year at that. All night adoration vigils are commonly a part of First Friday as well, affirming the true presence of Christ’s body, blood, soul, and divinity in the Blessed Sacrament.
3. St. Nicholas was a staunch protector of the true faith and defender against the greatest heresy until our day - Arianism - even when it was promoted by a brother bishop. What a powerful and fitting intercessor to have as patron when uniting in penance in our present time of bishop against bishop.
4. Perhaps most importantly, this day of sacrifice is meant to be an additional reparation to those like the Embertides that have previously been recommended to us by the bishops. That is to say, why ask for extra reparation on a day that has already been requested for penance when the point is to go above and beyond. Admittedly the selection of December 6th does ask the relatively small percentage of Catholics that do celebrate St. Nicholas’ feast to make a choice, but that is a good thing because sacrificing when it is hard makes the act more meritorious. As St. John of Avila reminds us, “One ‘blessed be God’ uttered in adversity is worth six thousand acts of thanksgiving in prosperity.”
The Exocists' full statement:
In light of recent events regarding the Pachamama ritual in the Vatican Gardens, the subsequent procession of the idol into St. Peter’s, as well as placing the idols in St. Maria in Traspontina church, we are reminded of the words of St. Paul (1 Corinthians 10:20), “Do I say, that what is offered in sacrifice to idols, is anything? Or, that the idol is anything? But the things which the heathens sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God. And I would not that you should be made partakers with devils.”
The Psalms (95:5) tell us that “all the gods of the Gentiles are devils: but the Lord made the heavens.” These events bring home the reality that (Ephesians 6:12) “our wrestling is not against flesh and blood; but against principalities and power, against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places.” These events bring home the reality that we are in spiritual warfare and that warfare is happening within the Church, itself.
We are, therefore, encouraging all Catholics who recognize the evil of the events to join us in a day of prayer and penance on December 6th, for the purpose of driving out any diabolic influence within the Church that has been gained as a result of these recent events — along with any other events.
We are asking all of those who participate to do the following for this intention:
1.) say the Rosary;
2.) take on some form of penance, such as fasting, abstinence and other forms of mortification;
3.) to offer the prayers to the Sacred Heart, as seen below.
Other recommended acts which we encourage others to do for this intention is make a Holy Hour in front of the Blessed Sacrament and attend Mass that day, offering the merits of the Mass for this intention.
May the Divine Mercy rest upon all of us.
This is great. Thank you for sharing.
Our family will be joining you, thank you for wading through these muddy, swampy waters for our Lord. Sacred Heart of Jesus, Ora pro nobis
We will be fasting and praying in reparation as well on Dec 6. Thank you for sharing this with your followers.
Props, prayers, and solidarity
While this a very good explanation and thought out article, adding ‘and neither should you’ to the title totally un-did that. You are completely free to leave it, its your blog. But know you are lossing people on the title.
Thank you for taking the time to comment & sharing your input. The intention of the title is to encourage readers to take a closer look at this important topic. I appreciate your differing opinion.
Welp good for you.
We don’t even celebrate St Nicholas’ feast day….but I think we will this year. We will be asking for the intercession of St. Nicolas to help clarify the confusion in our Church wrought by people who listen to demons instead of The Holy Father.
That is a very noble intention. Thank you for your prayers! 🙏
As a Byzantine Catholic in the middle of the Nativity Fast, I am taking a break from the penitential nature of this season in order to celebrate the feast of the saint who is the patron of our children. Besides, it is a solemnity in the Byzantine Church, so fasting would be inappropriate. I am, however, offering my Nativity Fast for the Church, that she be faithful and united. St. Nicholas the wonder-worker, pray for us.