As the New Year feeling of January wears off and February brings us Valentine’s Day, it is a time to reflect on how we think about love and the role it plays in our lives. How can those who are celebrating look at their celebration from another perspective? And how can those who wish the day would be invisible see their lives from another perspective?
The answer is found in God’s word to us. Whoever we are, we are first loved by God, even from the moment of conception in our mother’s womb. The prophet Jeremiah reminds us: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore, I have continued my faithfulness to you.” This love remains a constant in our lives. The truth is simple and profound: God’s love is our first Valentine. So, whether we celebrate openly or desire the day to fall off the calendar, we can all celebrate God’s love on Valentine’s Day by reflecting on his word to each of us individually.
A Call to Love
Valentine’s Day is special for those in marriages marked by mutual and enriching love. It is also special for couples who are dating or engaged, and for dear friends. It is a day for gifts, candy, flowers, loving cards, and for sharing enjoyable times together and meals.
But some people would rather ignore Valentine’s Day: recent widows and widowers, those in strained or broken relationships, single mothers and fathers under heavy burdens, or anyone who, because of age, depression, or infirmity, feels alone. These, too, are especially close to the heart of Christ. Love that comes from God never excludes; it reaches out, heals, and restores. In this spirit, as we celebrate the memorial of Saints Cyril and Methodius, who showed great love and preached the Gospel in Moravia, modern-day Czech Republic, Slovakia, and parts of Hungary, we are reminded that Christian love is not only celebrated; it is lived and shared.
Valentine’s Message
This is the message we Christians are called to spread every day through our witness. We are to proclaim it ourselves, exercising our ministry with joy and confidence, certain that nothing is lacking in those who put their trust in God. We bear witness to Christ through the joyful and consistent practice of the Gospel, showing by our lives where our true homeland lies, in heaven. And you, dear young people, dear lay faithful, dear families: build your plans for family, work, school, and daily life on the firm foundation of faith in Christ. Jesus never abandons his friends. He assures us of his help, for nothing can be done without him. Yet he asks each of us to make a personal commitment to spread his universal message of love and peace.
In a world so often marked by violence, division, and fear, Valentine’s Day invites us to proclaim a different message: that love is stronger than hatred, mercy stronger than revenge, and hope stronger than despair. God’s love is not sentimental; it is faithful, sacrificial, and transforming. If we truly believe we are loved by God, then we must become signs of that love in a wounded world, through forgiveness, compassion, justice, and peace. This is our message to a world in need: that God’s love never fails and never gives up on humanity.
Shalom!
Beautifully written and inspiring on Valentine’s day.