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Religious: Happy Valentine's Day!
Joseph Lee L'Heureux
for South Peace News
Do you remember your first school Valentine’s Day?
Do you remember the beginning of your relationship with your spouse or partner?
Take your time now. It might just be one of your favourite memories of innocent love. (Pause for a moment)
I remembver in Grade 1 we were encouraged to make three Valentine’s Day cards for our three favourite people. Of course, your favourite might have been your mother, your teacher and one special girl or boy playmate.
I’m sure I wrote one to my mother and teacher, but there were two other people in Grade 1. One was Josephine and the other was George. George was my favourite playmate and Josephine was the one I had a crush on.
I sent them both a card.
I was to learn very early that love hurts and disappoints. When I was teased and challenged to kiss Josephine on Valentine’s Day, she didn’t like it much. I received the strap for my affections. If I remember correctly it was for kissing her too many times.
They would both move away by my second year. George would die with his dad in a car-train accident within two years.
Yes, love hurts.
St. Valentine’s love of God would lead to his suffering and martyrdom at the hands of the Roman Empire near Feb. 14 in the year 269 A.D. This day was made a feast day by the Roman Catholic Church to coincide with the Roman feast of Lupercalia when young men chose young women they would court that year. England and other places eventually used this Lupercalia (Valentine’s Day) feast day for the choosing of a sweetheart, the girl chosen was usually given a gift.
In Roman mythology Cupid was the god of love, and is depicted as a naked blindfolded child angel with a small bow and arrow. Whoever is pierced with his arrow will fall in love with someone.
According to Roman writer Apuleius’, mythical story The Golden Ass, Cupid was to sting Psyche (Greek word for soul) with his arrow on behalf of his jealous mother, Venus, that she might fall in love with a monster, but she was so beautiful he fell in love with her himself. Anger separated the pair and jealousy reared its ugly head when Venus ordered Psyche to retrieve a box filled with beauty from Persephone Queen of Hades. One whiff of the content of the box and Psyche was dead. Cupid found her and returned her to the God of Zeus and requested he make her immortal.
A beautiful story of redemption isn’t it, but that’s what love is about, redemption.
Please note in the Roman mythology, Cupid the Roman god of love seeks the redemption of a Greek soul (Psyche) from Hades poison. Romans and Greeks were enemies just like Jews and Muslims.
The Gospel of John tells us, “God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
Why? All souls are in need of redemption and “Love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. So friends let us love one another.” (1 John 4:7)
“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself up for her, to make her Holy. Wives, love your husbands in return as the Church Loves and serves Christ. He who loves his/her spouse loves self. After all, no one ever hated his/her own body, but he/she feeds and cares for it, just as Christ Jesus Loves the Church, for we are members of His body. This is a profound Mystery.” (Ephesians 5:25-30 and 32)
This profound mystery goes further than erotica or filial (family) love but means Agape Love, the ability to Love the unlovable. Now, if our relationships are full of resentments and grudges with our spouses and neighbours then this will seem impossible. This is why I asked you to remember your first school valentine or first Valentine’s Day with your partner. How are we doing with these old relationships? We might even have to consider getting married.
It might be time to start that personal relationship with God. Sound impossible does it?
“All things are possible with God.” (Matthew 19:26)
Jesus said, “A person’s enemies will be the members of his/her own household.” (Matthew 0:36)
He also said love your enemies and pray for them. (Matthew 5:44) Forgive as you (wish) your Father in Heaven to forgive you.
Now we begin to understand the love Jesus Christ has for us, while we were still His enemies He prayed and died for us, shedding His blood, that we might be redeemed.
“. . .for there is no forgiveness of sins, without the (suffering) and shedding of blood.” (Hebrews 9:22)
We need this precious blood of His in our relationships that we might learn to forgive.
Jesus Christ was the first martyr of love, St. Valentine was among the next thousands and we should spring from those.
This is St. Valentines Day, a time of reflection and self-analysis. How are we doing?
Happy Valentine’s Day and may God bless you!
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