By Sr. Molly Fernandes sfn –
It’s become part of our celebrations among the other celebrations we celebrate in our life. A life which is so beautiful and intrinsically woven into the fabric, fabrics of diverse variety which gives and forms a vulnerable body, nevertheless as a precious gift and the crown of Creation by The Almighty Creator. This life created in love, is fostered by the supreme love of Abba Father, The God Almighty, who graciously gifted us with the gift of His only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, who in return has commanded us summing up all the Laws and commandments into one great Commandment. Love of God and love of neighbour as two sides of the same coin.
Further, St. Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians gives us a criterion of what love is and what it has to be like, in chapter 13: 2b-8b, “If I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. Love never ends”.
Consequently, life without love is food without salt. Life without love is a desert. Life without love is the honeycomb without the queen honeybee!. And finally it can end up like the branch that is not connected to the tree which withers and dies. This is very much evident and manifested through varied experiences and stories we have read, movies we have watched and the daily soaps, revive such experienced situations in the beautiful soulful journey of our lives! Only to tell us that ‘perfect love cast out fear’, for Love is Divine.
To celebrate love on 14th February has a history, which in the modern era has lost its originality. Yes, the word love has lost its essence, a sad plight of humanity. Much more a day that restored life and a witness of faith to live eternally!. So where do its origin begin or how did valentine day come into existence? It is related to Valentinus (St. Valentine).
According to the official biography of the Diocese of Terni, Bishop Valentine was born and lived in Interamna and while on a temporary stay in Rome he was imprisoned, tortured, and martyred.
St Valentine was Bishop of Terni, an important town of Umbria, in central Italy. While under house arrest of Judge Asterius, and discussing his faith with him, Valentinus (the Latin version of his name) was discussing the validity of Jesus. The judge put Valentinus to the test and brought to him the judge’s adopted blind daughter. If Valentinus succeeded in restoring the girl’s sight, Asterius would do whatever he asked. Valentinus, praying to God, laid his hands on her eyes and the child’s vision was restored.
Immediately humbled, the judge asked Valentinus what he should do. Valentinus replied that all of the idols around the judge’s house should be broken and that the judge should fast for 3 days and then undergo the Christian sacrament of baptism. The judge obeyed and, as a result of his fasting and prayer, freed all the Christian inmates under his authority. The judge, his family, and his 44 member household of adult family members and servants were baptized.
Valentinus was later arrested again for continuing to evangelize and was sent to the prefect of Rome, to the emperor Claudius Gothicus (Claudius II) himself. Claudius took a liking to him until Valentinus tried to convince Claudius to embrace Christianity, whereupon Claudius refused and condemned Valentinus to death, commanding that Valentinus either renounce his faith or he would be beaten with clubs and beheaded. Valentinus refused and Claudius’ command was executed outside the Flaminian Gate on February 14, 269.
It is said that before his execution, St Valentine wrote a note to Asterius’s daughter signed “from your Valentine”, which is said to have “inspired today’s romantic day”.
Thus in memory of St Valentine, the Valentine’s Day began. St Valentine of Rome was martyred on February 14 in AD 269. The Feast of St Valentine, also known as St Valentine’s Day, was established by Pope Gelasius I in AD 496 to be celebrated on February 14 in honour of him.
The saint’s love was unsullied beyond human affectation, to glorify God. As we honour St. Valentine, whatever be the state of our life, let our prayer be “Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm, for love is strong as death, jealousy is fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, a raging relentless flame. Lord King of my life, Seal my heart, mind, body and Soul, with your Spirit and make me whole. Transform all my human passions into divine love, so that I can truly say, all that I do, From Your Valentine.