Good Works, Faith, and Saint Nicholas
As I was reading through copies of our parish newsletter from the 1990s through early 2000s, I found this wonderful article from the first year the Evangelist was published and decided to share it today. It might seem like the wrong season for this choice, since the article is from the November/December 1992 issue and contains much information about Saint Nicholas, but I’m choosing to share it now for several reasons.
Deacon Sidney Elliott
The article was written by our beloved Deacon Sidney Elliott, who is currently suffering with Stage 4 cancer. And our parish just lost a dear sister, Nelvia Agnew, on February 23, who recently succumbed to a long battle with cancer. And just a few weeks ago, on January 17, we lost another dear parishioner to cancer. Luke Heisig suffered for many years with this disease. Back on October 3, 2022, Vladimir Drobashevsky also passed from his earthly life to eternal life with God in heaven.
The Light of the World and Good Works
So what do these illnesses and deaths have to do with Christians being “the light of the world,” as Deacon Sidney writes about? As he writes:
Good works are not an option for those who seek a spiritual life in Christ. Good works require a setting aside of our own will and desires to meet the needs of others. . . . Where do we start? We have already started by learning to help and care for one another in the church, and many I know are involved in activities which are a light to our community. I encourage all of us to pursue good works. Let us obey the command of our Lord to let our light so shine before men that they may see our good works and glorify our Father who is in heaven.
It is such a joy to see so many of our parishioners participating in the good works of caring for the sick and suffering, especially before, during, and after the end of their lives. And not only for the sick and suffering, but performing good works for the homeless, for our children in our church school program, to help us glorify god in our worship by singing in the choir, chanting, serving in the altar, providing hospitality in the kitchen and parish hall for coffee hour and feasts, and so much more. Last night during our Forgiveness Vespers service, I could see God’s light shining through the presence of so many faithful, through the prayers, through the exchange of the kiss of peace and the forgiveness it demonstrated, and through the music.
Read the Article
I will reprint Deacon Sidney’s article here in its entirety, as it may be difficult to read from the 31-year-old copy which I scanned and included here. I hope it blesses you as we continue to learn how to be the light of the world in our community and beyond.
“The Light of the World: Good Works, Faith, and Saint Nicholas”
the Evangelist (November/December 1992)
by Deacon Sidney Elliott
“You are the light of the world.”
How does a Bible-believing Christian respond to such a statement? My first response is one of fear. If this world is dependent upon me for its light, then this world is in trouble! But it is the Lord Jesus Christ who says to us that we are the light of the world. Our patron saint St. John the Evangelist, sys early in His gospel that in Him (Jesus Christ) was life and that life was the light of the world. Since we Christians believe that Jesus Christ, along with the Father and the Holy Spirit, has come to live within us who believe, then that life which is the light of the world is within each of us.
How then do we Christians let this light shine into the world around us? As one coming from a strong evangelical background, I have thought primarily of preaching and teaching as the means of enlightening the world. But the Lord did not say, “Let your light so shine that they may know that you have the best preaching in town.” What He said was, “Let your light so shine that they may see your good works and glorify your father who is in heaven.”
It has for some time amazed me that for all the great saints who have lived, (including the apostles and the great theologians and preachers) so many churches in the Orthodox realm are named after one man. This is not to say that he is by any means greater than all the other saints. But St. Nicholas of Myra has endeared himself to the people of God in a very special way. St Nicholas was not known as a great theologian, although I’m sure he had his theology straight. He was not known as a great preacher, although I have no doubt he could preach. When we think of St. Nicholas, we think of good works.
As necessary as hearing the Word of God is, we live in a world where an abundance of words has confused the minds of many. There are so many teaching so many different words and philosophies that a person seeking some kind of truth to guide them will find it extremely difficult to choose. This is especially true in the “Christian” realm. It seems that many make choices based on what “sounds” good only to find themselves betrayed and used by the expounder of the “word.”
The Lord tells us that it is by “their fruit” that we are to know those who are of the truth. If this is so for us who believe, how much more do those in the world without faith need to see the fruit of good works. This is why I believe that St. Nicholas has found such a special place among the people of God. He brought people to faith in God by safe and sure means—by showing them the truth with his life and works. As faith serves as a link between material existence and God’s spiritual realm, good works serve as a link between the kingdom of God on earth and the world around us.
We are the light of the world. The fruit of our good works is the clearest light for a dark world in need of knowing and glorifying the one true God. However, for these works to bring light to the world, they must be “the” good works which God has ordained for us to walk in. So we who already know the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit must seek these good works first by prayer for mercy and guidance.
Good works are not an option for those who seek a spiritual life in Christ. Good works require a setting aside of our own will and desires to meet the needs of others. These actions are part of other discipline that molds us in the image of God.
Where do we start? We have already started by learning to help and care for one another in the church, and many I know are involved in activities which are a light to our community. I encourage all of us to pursue good works. Let us obey the command of our Lord to let our light so shine before men that they may see our good works and glorify our Father who is in heaven.
