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Ho-Ho-Homoousios
The Witness of Saint Nicholas
Thursday, December 4, 2025
Dear Friends in Christ,
On Saturday we celebrate the feast of Saint Nicholas, one of the most beloved saints not only in the Church but in the broader world. Although ubiquitous at this time of year, he’s not appreciated or understood. People put up images of Santa Claus in their yards. But he’s about as real and important to them as the witches and skeletons they put up last month.
The reality is better than the myth.
Saint Nicholas was Bishop of Myra in the late 3rd century, during the reign of Diocletian. During that last great persecution of the Church, he suffered imprisonment for the Faith. Then he was present at the Council of Nicaea, the first ecumenical council, convened to address the heresy of Arius.
Arius held that the Son of God was not equal in divinity to the Father. “There was a time when the Son was not,” was his famous phrase. Of course, this would mean that Jesus is not God…and Christmas is not, well, what we think it is. You can see how Jolly Ol’ Saint Nick might take some kind of offense.
We know well the conclusion of the Council. As a rebuke of Arius, who said that the Son is of similar or like being to the Father, Nicaea proclaimed that the Son is consubstantial – homoousios in the original– with the Father. What we profess every Sunday. The Child whose birth we’re preparing to celebrate was not only human, nor merely some demigod. The Child born of Mary and placed in the manger is God Himself.
It’s said that when Arius spoke at the Council, Nicholas grew so angry that he stood up, strode across the floor, and smacked him in the face. Nicholas was then placed in ecclesiastical time out until he could calm down and play nice. Now, we shouldn’t imitate his violence. But we should imitate his zeal for the truth about Jesus Christ and, more fundamentally, for the dogmatic principle itself.
Because the controversy with Arius was about more than whether Jesus is God. It was about whether we can know these truths and whether the Church can teach authoritatively about them. Further, it’s about whether religion is a matter of truth or of opinion and feeling.
This Jubilee Year that is coming to an end celebrates the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea. Pope Leo just completed a pilgrimage to the site of the council. As we celebrate this Jubilee and approach the feast of Saint Nicholas, let us give thanks for his faithful witness and for his profession of the true Faith that enables us to rejoice in the warmth and beauty of Christmas.
Updates…
Saint James School Annual Appeal corresponds with the feast of Saint Nicholas, patron of children. The Annual Appeal collection will be taken up this weekend. All registered parishioners and school families should have received a mailed copy of the Annual Appeal. To help us reach our goal of $125,000, a generous donor couple has issued a $25,000 challenge match. This means that every dollar you give will be matched up to $25,000! To donate online, click here, or mail a check to Saint James Catholic Church, Attn: Kathleen Anderson, Director of Development, 905 Park Ave, Falls Church, VA 22046.
First Friday Vigil begins at 730pm with Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and the praying of Vespers. Adoration continues throughout the night, concluding before 830am Mass on Saturday. We are still in need of adorers. Come spend time with our Lord in adoration.
Our parish 40 Hours runs from December 9 through 11. Please see the flyer for information on the devotions and reflections during that time. Please sign up for an hour of adoration. The more time you spend with Him, the more He will bless you!
Smartphone Free Childhood. It’s a wise thing to keep smart phones from your children. It’s also tough if you’re the only parent doing that. This outfit has taken the initiative to connect parents who want to keep their children free of the threats and addictions associated with smart phone. Here’s a great summary of the problem.
Botanical Humor
Do you want a brief explanation of what an acorn is? In a nutshell, it’s an oak tree.
Through the intercession of our Lady and Saint James, may the Lord bless and keep you.
Sincerely in Christ,
Fr. Scalia