Happy St. Valentine’s Day.  It’s HIS day, you know…not the card store or the sweet shop’s day; St. Valentine’s Day.

So, what did he do to merit his own day?  He loved God with all his heart, mind and strength, that’s what.  He laid down his life for his friends.  He recognized Jesus as the Way, the Truth and the Life.

Valentine was a priest during the persecution under Claudius II.  When he was arrested and tortured in order to get him to renounce his faith, he didn’t cave.  So, they beat him and beheaded him.

 

 

Wow.  That’s love.

He loved God and his faith enough to give up his very life.  In Ephesians 5, St. Paul tells husbands that they must love their wives in this way.

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the Church and handed himself over for her, to sanctify her… (Eph 5:25-26)

Husbands should be ready to die for their wives, in order to help them get to heaven.  Does this mean that they should look for opportunities to throw themselves in front of a bus?  Absolutely not!  There are many forms of dying…dying to self being one of them…giving up certain comforts or inclinations as a sacrifice for your wife.  For example, taking on a certain household chore you know she hates, putting your clothes in the laundry instead of dropping them on the floor, making time each day to listen to her concerns and worries about her responsibilities.

In his letter to the Ephesians, St. Paul tells wives to be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord.  I know, I know, this gets your hackles up, doesn’t it?  Well, let’s take a look at this.  First off, the word subordinate can mean dependent.  So, wives need to depend on their husbands to…what?  To die for us as Christ did for His Church.  We need to cooperate in that mission.  How do we do this?  By praying for our husbands that they will listen to God and cooperate with His will in their lives.

So, the scripture that seems extremely sexist and obnoxious, is actually not so at all, is it?

Don’t forget, though, that earlier in his letter, St. Paul instructs all of us to

…be imitators of God, as beloved children and live in love, as Christ handed Himself over for us as a sacrificial offering to God… (Eph 5: 1-2)

Wives are on the hook, too.  All of us are.  We are all called to love others with a  sacrificial love.  So, the next time you’re at the grocery store and the person behind you just has a few things, let them go in front of you.  When you’re completely spent and want to get to bed, stay up for just 10 more minutes and set the breakfast table for your family or set up your spouse’s coffee for the next morning.  Make small sacrifices daily and you will build up the grace to make a big sacrifice, if you are called to, at some point in your life.

Live your life like St. Valentine, who knew that all he was and all he had was from God and he lived his life for God, for His glory.  Remember that all of us are here to serve one another.  Christ demonstrated this when He washed His disciples’ feet.

The best way to celebrate St. Valentine’s Day is to be Christ to others.

Go for it.