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Who is St. Valentine?
I remember my young Baptist mind being astounded there were actually two Saints from “forever ago” with real names! But why only two (St. Valentine and St. Patrick) I wondered, when we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses!?
In secular society, “Valentine’s Day” is given the nod – but mostly to a cupid logo substitution, removal of the saint title, and the “V” changed to small case. Peddling Festivities is not a new thing either. Sales and Marketing in the Retail World quietly sweep holy days under a generic blanket of holiday commercialism.
For Orthodox Christians, St. Valentine’s Day and all the saints’ days every day of the year, are glorious opportunities to learn more of our heavenly friends. By celebrating their summits of virtue, their struggles, courage, and pure love of God… we too, learn how to emulate them.
Children are instinctively drawn to the sweet essence of kindness and love remembering St. Valentine. Like St. Patrick’s Day, St. Valentine’s Day can open a wonderful lead into sharing the lives of other daily saints. God’s Love is true Love. His Perfect Love strengthens and blesses the bonds of spouses, families, friends, and neighbours.
The Saviour knocks on the Door of our Heart. He waits patiently for us to hear Him, to open the door, and to let Him in.
When we give our whole heart to Christ, He in turn refills it with so much Love, that it overflows with Joy!
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. ~ Matthew 6:21
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. ~ 1 Corinthians 13:13
With Love in Christ.
