Monday, February 14, 2005
John 13:34-35 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY
Since this day was originally part of the church calendar, we might ask why it is observed during that time of the year when the themes of Lent are often holding sway.
St. Valentine was a real person. He lived in the third century in Italy. He'd have been surprised if someone had told him a day would be named for him. But Valentine would not have been surprised to learn that he is called a saint. Not because he considered himself better or more holy than others, but because in his Bible and ours, every believing Christian is called a saint. For through faith in Christ every believer stands righteous and holy in God's sight, free of the condemnation which we by our sins deserve.
Valentine would also not be surprised that the theme of this, his day, is LOVE, though he would no doubt be somewhat puzzled with the emphasis on romantic love. The love he knew and practiced flowed not from feeling but fact -- the fact that "the Son of God loved me and gave Himself for me" (Galatians 2:20).
The verse St. Valentine would inscribe on a card today would not be anything like
"Roses are red, Violets are blue,
Sugar is sweet - And so are you."
But rather something like
"Christ left His radiant throne on high,
Left realms of heavenly bliss.
He came to earth to bleed and die.
Was ever love like this?"
It turns out Valentine's Day falls at a most appropriate time of the year. The greatest example of love and our great source of real love is the very heart of our Lenten observance. 