349. St. Nicholas And The Practice Of Generous Love Today's Heartlift With Janell podcast

349. St. Nicholas and the Practice of Generous Love

2d ago 49:45

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A storm-tossed sky lantern lands in a front yard with a daughter’s message to her dad, and a simple response turns into a global moment of shared grief and hope. That story becomes our gateway into the real Saint Nicholas—an early Christian bishop who noticed the vulnerable, met practical needs with courage, and quietly changed lives in a collapsing empire.
We sit down with author and screenwriter Matt Mikalatos to explore his devotional, Praying with Saint Nicholas, and the surprising history behind a figure too often flattened into myth. From Patara to Myra, we step through persecution under Diocletian, the pivot of Constantine, and the Council of Nicaea, where core beliefs were hammered out amid risk and conviction. We revisit the famous dowry rescue that inspired stockings, the confessor tradition that modeled reconciliation after failure, and the gripping moment Nicholas halted an unjust execution—mercy with a spine of steel.
Threaded through it all is a practical Advent invitation: become a noticer. Pair 1 John 4:7–21 with small daily acts that restore dignity in your neighborhood. Slip generosity where it’s needed, listen deeply to someone who feels invisible, and choose sustainable compassion that protects your mental health while expanding your capacity to love. We also clear up confusion around venerating saints, reframing it as asking trusted elders in the great cloud of witnesses to pray with us, not instead of us.
If you’re longing for an Advent that feels grounded, historic, and fiercely hopeful, this conversation offers both story and structure. Subscribe, share this episode with a friend who needs encouragement, and leave a one-sentence review to help others find the show. Your voice helps carry this light further.

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Chapters

1. Reading: Nicholas’s Origin Story (00:00:00)

2. Advent Journey And Devotional Plan (00:02:17)

3. The Glimmer Hunt And 1 John Focus (00:04:01)

4. Love As Transformation And Practice (00:07:10)

5. Subscribe, Review, And Support Appeals (00:09:45)

6. Meet Author Matt Mikalatos (00:12:03)

7. The Sky Lantern Story Of Grief And Hope (00:14:37)

8. Becoming Noticers And Seizing Moments (00:19:36)

9. Why Write About Saint Nicholas (00:23:27)

10. Nicholas In The Roman Empire (00:26:12)

11. The Dowry Story And Stockings (00:30:05)

12. Council Of Nicaea And Confessors (00:33:30)

13. Slapping A Heretic And Consequences (00:37:09)

14. Justice, Mercy, And Risked Hands (00:39:38)

15. Veneration Of Saints Explained (00:42:15)

16. The Everyday Miracle Of Love (00:46:02)

17. Closing Blessing And Scripture Reading (00:48:20)

350 episodes