Holidays

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St. Valentine’s Day has no definitive owner in church history. Several candidates have been offered, yet each has an equal claim. One could say that St. Valentine is actually several saints. One candidate stands out among all of them, however, as probably the best standard-bearer. In the 2nd century, a rebellious priest named Valentine served under the rule of the Emperor Claudius II. Claudius was an ambitious man and had a thirst for war and demanded much of his soldiers, calling them to a duty that meant long absences from their wives and families. This produced an army of half-hearted and homesick soldiers. Eventually, Claudius banned marriage outright in an unsuccessful bid to possess a singularly focused army of warriors. Valentine believed this to be unnatural and contrary to God’s will. So, he decided to marry soldiers and their sweethearts in secret. Claudius eventually discovered Valentine’s practice and had him arrested and sentenced to death. Couples he married would visit his cell in secret, passing him letters of encouragement and gratitude along with food and gifts. Legend has it that Valentine fell in love with his jailer’s daughter. On February 14th, the day he was to be executed, he passed a note of farewell to his intended sweetheart declaring his love for her and signed it: “Your Valentine”. A tradition was born.

Saint Valentine’s Day is, at its heart, a celebration of sacrificial love. It is a love that defies threats of retribution and desires expression more than it fears death. All who love selflessly and unconditionally without the desire or demands of reward or reciprocation possess the spirit of St. Valentine. The St. Valentine’s of this world love not because they should; but because they would, because they can, because they must. To love as St. Valentine is to love as Jesus would. It is a love that gives all whether or not the love is returned. It is a love that seeks only to bless with little thought of being blessed. It is a love that is neither based on the loveliness nor the faithfulness of the beloved; but rather on the capacity of the heart of the lover to love. It is a love whose sole purpose is to bestow life even as it is willing to “love unto death”.

This is the love I have for you. Loving you not because of the glorious gift you are to me; not because of the radiant beauty you possess; not because of the peace that covers me like a warm blanket when I fall asleep beside you each night; not because of the blessing my eyes receive seeing you lying beside me each morning; not because of the joyful memory of hearing you say “I do” as we stood at the alter of love; to be the chosen one to taste your kisses, to experience your gentle touch upon my face, to see forever shining in your eyes when you look at me or to know the miracle of “becoming one flesh” whenever we join holy desire and passion and pour it into one another; I love you for none of these reasons. But rather it is Christ in me loving you.

The reason I love you is because He taught me to love you…only you. My eyes know no beauty except yours, my nose no aroma as intoxicating as yours, my heart no fulfillment but in you, my body no pleasure but that it comes from you. I love you because of Him and I love you because of you. Because He is the Giver and you are the Gift.

I love you because I would…because I can…because I must!

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