The rising sun awoke Hesperos with a shiver. His hut outside Myra did nothing to keep out the chill of night. It was just another day of getting by in the drifter camp. His former life of ease serving as a priest in the temple of Mithras in Damascus seemed only a dream. After a wealthy man edged him out of his position to give it to his son, it seemed to make sense to move west, closer to the markets of Rome. But there was nothing here for him. Mithras held little interest for the people of Myra. And he could not blame them. He had long since given up praying to Mithras, for all the good it did him. There was not enough work to feed himself, let alone his wife and son. Having spent his last denarius yesterday, he had little hope of going further west. He began to think being a slave might be better than this.
Hesperos rose and stepped out the door of his hut. A tiny sack lay at his feet. He picked it up. Someone had written on the leather strap that tied it shut. He untied the sack and turned it over. Out fell a gold coin into his palm. He let out a gasp and stared at the coin in disbelief.
Had someone lost it? Perhaps some wealthy benefactor had given it in the name of his god. He looked at the leather strap. On it was written, “In the name of Christus.” He had heard of that name before. As a priest, he only knew of him as a rival god. He smiled. Mithras had not helped him, but Christus had.
That day, the name of Christus could be heard throughout the drifter camp as many found the same gift at their doorways.
Some nights later, Nicholas returned with the darkness bearing more gifts of gold. As he crossed into the drifter camp, he caught the sound of feet treading the grass nearby. He scrambled up a nearby tree and pulled down his hood to cover his face. He could see a pair of men moving in his direction. They spoke in whispers. The first man bent down at the nearest hut and muttered, “Nothing here.”
“Keep looking,” said the other. “Maybe we’ll catch him in the act.”
The men moved on a bit. The first said, “That would save us the trouble of poking about. We could take it all at once.”
“And better yet,” said the second. “With a knife at his throat, he might tell us of the rest of his gold.”
The two shared a quiet chuckle and moved on. That was the last time Nicholas slipped into the drifter camp by night to give gifts. Instead, he took to the rooftops of Myra. Every few nights he would venture out seeking people in need.
Hesperos rose and stepped out the door of his hut. A tiny sack lay at his feet. He picked it up. Someone had written on the leather strap that tied it shut. He untied the sack and turned it over. Out fell a gold coin into his palm. He let out a gasp and stared at the coin in disbelief.
Had someone lost it? Perhaps some wealthy benefactor had given it in the name of his god. He looked at the leather strap. On it was written, “In the name of Christus.” He had heard of that name before. As a priest, he only knew of him as a rival god. He smiled. Mithras had not helped him, but Christus had.
That day, the name of Christus could be heard throughout the drifter camp as many found the same gift at their doorways.
Some nights later, Nicholas returned with the darkness bearing more gifts of gold. As he crossed into the drifter camp, he caught the sound of feet treading the grass nearby. He scrambled up a nearby tree and pulled down his hood to cover his face. He could see a pair of men moving in his direction. They spoke in whispers. The first man bent down at the nearest hut and muttered, “Nothing here.”
“Keep looking,” said the other. “Maybe we’ll catch him in the act.”
The men moved on a bit. The first said, “That would save us the trouble of poking about. We could take it all at once.”
“And better yet,” said the second. “With a knife at his throat, he might tell us of the rest of his gold.”
The two shared a quiet chuckle and moved on. That was the last time Nicholas slipped into the drifter camp by night to give gifts. Instead, he took to the rooftops of Myra. Every few nights he would venture out seeking people in need.
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