Theme: “Dance with me” By: Paul Wilbur
Quote: “The value of love will always be stronger than the value of hate. Any nation or group of nations that employs hatred eventually is torn to pieces by hatred.” -Franklin D. Roosevelt
Saint Valentine, despite naysayers and people constantly hoping to defame the holiday, still stands with historical accuracy to prove this Holiday’s purpose.
There are many resources, but I picked one or two that specifically say how Valentine’s is not a romantic holiday. Yet the facts the site cling to actually confirm it.
The long and short of it, a man who is named Valentine, was imprisoned. He was permitted to have interaction with the daughter (who was blind) of the man who watched over him and she received a miracle.
The story may go differently depending on which source you find, some say the two were in love, other say he was executed before the miracle occurred. While this source states that the miracle occurred before his execution.
The end result being, the girl receiving her sight and the entire family became believers in Christ and the God whom they had not believed in before Valentine’s interactions with them. A belief which was against the law.
It’s ironic that someone would say the exact proof of this not being a romantic holiday, was because the man himself was not a romantic or he did not love the girl. There’s no way to confirm this one way or another.
However, the most ‘romantic’ part of all of this is God’s love. God didn’t cause the beheading or murdering of His followers. In His love, He limited His influence in the world, to respect free will. Thus enabling evil to have an opportunity to flourish, but also allowing good the ability to fight and choose.
No matter if it’s a combination of stories from multiple people, or one person. The entirety of this holiday is about love. Choosing to love God despite the risk of death, and God choosing to love people because that’s who He is.
Anything can be commercialized, but that doesn’t make the original source false or a sham. Every day should be a day to show love to others, but if there’s something that is very true for us humans; special days that commemorate are key to helping us remember the past and learning from it.
We are flawed, and without birthdays, anniversaries, or even a day to honor love… we forget; grow casual about life and let precious moments pass us by. The hustle and bustle makes us put off appreciating the most important things. That’s the point of a holiday, building memories. A moment in time to treasure and remember. So, whether God healed this girl on February 14th, or there were several different people named Valentine, the meaning behind it, is the same; a day of honoring love and cherishing those we hold most dear.
My family has held the tradition that you don’t just give your significant other gifts or take them on a romantic date. But also gestures of love. Be they big or small; candy, flowers, a hug or an abundance of kind and loving words.
Something to show that they are loved in a world that sometimes leaves us feeling very unloved. Doing our best to mirror God‘s unconditional love for all.
It’s easy to get depressed if you’re single on Valentine’s Day. Instead, for those who are in that category, it’s your chance to show love to others. Go to family, or friends especially other single people. Not hating a holiday, but seeing it as an opportunity to remind others that they are loved and they are special.
Hopefully it is not the only day of the year that we do this, hopefully it just stands as a reminder of honoring each other with expressions of love year-round. That this day is just a springboard into a culture of loving one another instead of hating.
I love you all!
Happy Valentine’s Day! <3
Sources:
https://madison.com/lifestyles/faith-and-values/the-real-st-valentine-was-no-patron-of-love/article_0f1fb7be-f3b4-5fc1-bd35-05911a09d81d.html
https://www.history.com/news/6-surprising-facts-about-st-valentine