27 Feb Love in the month of February

The month of February causes us to think a little bit more about love, in all its forms. In many tales, stories and moments through history, the presence of love is undeniable. While Valentine’s Day might be associated with romantic love, the real story behind its namesake, St. Valentine, is full of bloodshed and heartbreak.

Now for a quick history of the holiday: There are multiple St. Valentines in history, and the historical origins of the figure are shaky, with some believing he was a myth for worship while others believe he was a real person. The most likely historical figure of St. Valentine is Valentine de Terni, according to an article on the saint in the academic journal Repertorio de Medicina y Cirugía. A Roman saint from the third century, Valentine de Terni was thrown into jail for secretly marrying couples against the wishes of Emperor Claudius II, who put forth an edict banning marriage for military personnel. The emperor believed that marriage would distract his military and make them less efficient on the battlefield.

His jailer, a man named Asterius, taunted Valentin de Terni about his supposed powers as a Catholic priest, saying he should make his daughter Julia, who was born blind, be able to see again. By reciting a prayer, St. Valentine restored Julia’s sight. Awestruck by his powers, Asterius converted to Christianity and released religious prisoners from jail.

An angry Emperor Claudius II then decided to behead St. Valentine and Asterius on the inauspicious date of Feb. 14, 271 A.D. Valentine de Terni reportedly wrote a letter to Julia signed “from your Valentine,” giving rise to the celebration of his martyrdom.

This origin of the holiday is rarely mentioned, or remembered, maybe for obvious reasons, it’s much more fun to only celebrate a fun, carefree holiday about love and have an excuse to eat lots of chocolate. This story shows us that love can still be present in all forms of heartache and pain. Happiness isn’t the absence of pain, rather the presence of love in our lives.

This idea has the ability to bring us deep peace in seasons of hardship. Whatever you’re going through, there is hope for peace.  That is one of the reasons why ‘love and serve’ are the two main pillars of our work, we believe in the power of loving others and the flourishing it brings.

We should all let this story, and its example of sacrificial love, inspire us to love others, ourselves, and the world with increasing passion and excitement.