HAPPY ……. WHAT ?
Years ago, mid-February would bring out cries of ” Happy Saint Valentine’s Day ”. Does anybody else remember those days? In school, we would make the obligatory heart of red construction paper with glued-on fancy lace for Mom. Handmade cards brandishing red arrows, cupids and fancy bows would be exchanged amongst favorite classmates. The day would be rounded out by too much feasting on red, sugary candy hearts. ”Happy Saint Valentine’s Day” might suggest more to the day but not much thought of a saint. Fast forward to modern times and there’s little sign of the saint. Now one’s beloved receives the required box of chocolate, perhaps a dozen red roses and if you can swing it, a romantic dinner out.
The day has certainly been transformed. February 14 once commemorated Springtime. but the Romans made it a pagan holiday assuring the fertility of flocks, fields, men and women. Claudius was the emperor in 270 A.D. He banned marriage because married men were poor soldiers. Valentine was a priest and physician in Rome. Young lovers would secretly meet the understanding priest and be joined in the sacrament of holy matrimony. When the emperor found out, Valentine was thrown in jail and condemned to death. Awaiting his fate, Valentine made friends with his jailer, Asterius. who had a blind daughter. The daughter befriended the kind priest by bringing him food and messages. Valentine loved the daughter. Asterius asked the priest-physician to heal his daughter’s blindness. Through his faith, Valentine miraculously restored her sight. The jailer and daughter became Christians. The young priest’s dignity and conviction impressed the emperor. but Claudius would not convert to Christianity. Prior to Valentine’s execution, he left a message to the jailer’s daughter. He signed an oddly shaped paper, ”From Your Valentine”. Valentine was martyred. He was named a Patron Saint and the spiritual overseer of the annual Springtime festival. In commemoration of St. Valentine, involved young men would offer women they admired and wished to court, handwritten greetings of affection on February 14th. A pattern for millions of written expressions of love and caring, that today highlight St. Valentine’s Day in many nations.
This Valentine’s Day, we can celebrate God’s great love in Jesus Christ. Unlike traditional valentine exchanges that can leave some of us feeling like empty-handed Charlie Brown, God’s ”Valentine” is for each of us. His love is everlasting (see Psalm 103:17) and endures forever (see Psalm 107:1). His love is so great it reaches to the heavens (Psalm 57:10) and so powerful that it never fails (see Psalm 52:8). Jesus Christ made God’s love visible as He walked to Calvary to carry our sins. As we meditate on His suffering for our sake, we see love so powerful it even overcomes death (see John 3:16). God’s rich and priceless love comes without limit or boundaries. How great the Father’s love on us that we be called children of God . And that is what we are.
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