Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!  I can understand celebrating a holiday based on LOVE, but who the heck was Valentine??  Not surprisingly, I Googled the name and was directed to www.catholic.org. It’s a fact that a man, probably a Christian priest named Valentine, lived and died a martyr’s death on Feb. 14,  269 in Rome.  His flower bedecked skull is on display there, if you are so inclined to check.  But I digress, he became associated with love and lovers, because he was secretly marrying Christian couples back when Rome was not yet a Christian empire.  It was a capital offence, and he paid the price; beaten with clubs, stoned and finally beheaded.  A legend about him tells us that before his execution, he restored the sight of his jailer’s daughter.  He even sent her a note, signing it your Valentine.  Sweet huh?  Over the centuries, love has made many lose their heads and hearts, thus the association with the color red I guess.  Biblically speaking, the quintessential passage on the subject is found in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. LOVE NEVER FAILS”.  Thank old Val for the holiday, but give God all the credit for the gift of Love!!  Flowers and candy hearts are still appreciated!