Happy Valentine's Day

Love, Charity, Agape, Matthew 25 - add what you will, this little poem is a sampling.

REWARD OF SERVICE

The sweetest lives are those to duty wed,
Whose deeds both great and small
Are close-knit strands of an unbroken thread,
Where love ennobles all.
The world may sound no trumpets, ring no bells,
The Book of Life the slurring record tells.

Thy love shall chant its own beatitudes,
After its own like working. A child's kiss
Set on thy singing lips shall make thee glad;
A poor man served by thee shall make thee rich;
A sick man helped by thee shall make thee strong;
Thou shalt be seved thyself by every sense
of service which thou renderest.

        Elizabeth Barrett Browning

                                             **********************************

   The legends about Saint Valentine are many, and are just that, legends.  The real Saint Valentine was a priest and martyr, beheaded during the reign of Emperor Claudius II in 270 A.D. The day of his death, which became his feast day, from early Christian times was a day on which young couples declared their love for each other or chose a "steady partner" for a certain length of time to see if they were truly to be partners for life. That might be a custom worth reviving in these loose-loving times.

   The actual basis for the custom began in ancient Rome. There was a youth festival on the eve of the Lupercalia (February 14). Young people celebrated the day by declaring their love, proposing marriage or choosing a partner for the following year. The patroness of this festive day was the goddess, Juno Februata.

   As Christianity advanced and the pagan gods were no longer the object of worship, the youth feast continued, and the traditional customs. The young people took St. Valentine as their patron instead, honoring the day of his death and putting themselves under his care and protection. The tradition held through the Middle Ages in countries which had been the Roman Empire. It lasted even longer in England, and of course, came to the United States.

   One of the legends is that, while Valentine was in prison, he helped the daughter of the prison warden. Another is that, one day he was passing a house and heard that the daughters of the family had no dowries. He supposedly left a bag of coins to that end. These are only legends, but helped spread the idea that Valentine was a patron of lovers, over and above the celebration of his feast, which just happened to occur on the once pagan observance.

   Whatever the reason, at least on St. Valentine's Day we should think about God's love for mankind and the admonition to "love one another as I have loved you."  We love our children and pray that they be kept from harm and be guided by that precious gift. Our love of God is spread through our families, our friends, and even to those who would do us harm. We pray for them all with loving intent and thank God that He gave us the capacity to love.