A Valentine Reflection

Love Is Patient and Kind
A Reflection for Saint Valentines Day
By Rev. Robert Johnnene OFA
Mission Saints Sergius and Bacchus
www.missionstsergius.org
http://gropups.yahoo.com/group/EverlastingLoveOfChristMinistry

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud (1 Corinthians 13:4)
February 14th had been celebrated by the church for centuries as the day to honor the three Saint Valentine’s but in 1969 it was removed from the church official calendar but is extremely popular as a commercial holiday set aside to give special recognition to your loved ones. According to history St. Valentine was a priest in the Roman Empire who helped hide and save persecuted Christians during the reign of Claudius II, was thrown in jail and later beheaded on Feb. 14. There is supposed to be another St. Valentine who was the Catholic bishop of Terni and was also beheaded during the reign of Claudius II. According to some historians there was a third St. Valentine who secretly married couples when marriage was forbidden in Africa and was later beheaded. The one common factor for all the St. Valentines is that they lost their heads over love. Possibly that explains why so many men and women seem to loose their heads when they think they are in love.
There was also a conventional belief in Europe during the middle Ages that birds chose their partners in the middle of February. Thus the day was dedicated to love, and people observed it by writing love letters and sending small gifts to their beloved. Legend has it that Charles, duke of Orleans, sent the first real Valentine card to his wife in 1415, when he was imprisoned in the Tower of London. (He, however, was not beheaded, and died a half-century later of old age.)
These words from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians sums up what love really is “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud” It is not the sexual or physical attraction that counts, but the deeper spiritual actions one puts forth toward others. Mother Teresa put it nicely when she would tell people “Give your hands to serve and your hearts to love.'' - Mother Teresa
Christ, himself, told us that love was the greatest commandment, Love of God and Love of your neighbor. Today the word love is far too often confused with sex and nothing could be further from the truth. When two people are deeply in love, yes sex is a means of sharing and expressing that love and in the case of heterosexual couples of creating a physical expression of their love in children. But for true love to blossom and bloom there has to be understanding, honesty, trust cooperation and devotion. Both parties have to be willing to give 100% of themselves to the other.
Galatians 5:22 reminds us that love is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit and therefore it is a special gift that comes from Almighty God “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness”, (Galatians 5:22) and like all gifts from God it should not be taken lightly but appreciated and used in accordance with God’s intentions. Take special not of the gifts that follow love and its placement as the first gift.
On Saint Valentines day (even though the Roman church no longer celebrates it as a feast day) let us show our love for God’s children by doing more than sending a special greeting to a few friends and lovers, but put into actions that show all our love for God and for all God’s children by voicing our indignation for the actions of governments and individuals who promote hatred, bigotry, discrimination and violence. Let’s speak out in favor of funding for quality affordable health care for all, adequate affordable housing, affordable quality education for every child. “The Lord is waiting for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the Lord is a faithful God. Blessed are those who seek his help”. (Isaiah 30:17-19)
“But love your enemies, do well to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. (Luke 6:35) these words from Luke even advise us to love our enemies and one way to show that love is to pray for them. Pray that God will open their hearts to find solutions to the things that have caused the discord.
I close this reflection for Valentines Day with this prayer from 2 Thessalonians 2 : 16-17 “May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.” AMEN
May Almighty God’s love overflow within your hearts and out on to all those with whom you come in contact with.
Have a Blessed St. Valentines Day.