Hard Love

Hard Love
As we approach the celebration of Valentine’s Day, it would be beneficial for us to remember what the day was originally celebrated for: St. Valentine. Very little is known for certain about St. Valentine except that he was a martyr for the faith. However, there are several legends surrounding him. Whether or not the legends are true, the lessons we can glean from them are instructive for us Christians. I want to highlight two legends and show how they have a common theme.

The first story occurred during Valentine’s trial. The judge or a prison guard (depending on the account) heard Valentine’s proclamation of the Gospel and believed it for himself. The judge/guard had a blind daughter that he begged Valentine to heal. In some accounts, Valentine miraculously healed the girl by a prayer to God. In other accounts, Valentine used ointment to help cure the girl over several months. The lesson learned from this story is that Valentine truly cared for and loved the judge/guard and his daughter. Because of Valentine’s love, care, and intercession for the judge/guard and his daughter, God in His mercy and by His grace alone healed the girl’s ailment.

The second story is that Valentine was arrested for illegally officiating marriages for Roman soldiers. The Roman Emperor had banned his soldiers from marrying, thinking that it made them weak, enticing them to abandon their duties as soldiers to stay with their wives. Valentine, though, as a priest still encouraged soldiers to get married since marriage was a gift from God. The lesson learned from this story is that Valentine cared for and loved the soldiers who desired a God-pleasing marriage. Through Valen-tine, God brought about many marriages that would have otherwise been prevented.

In both of these stories, Valentine demonstrated a particular type of love that our culture has lost. The secular Valentine’s Day celebrations promote romantic gestures, sappy love notes, and gift-giving. While none of these are wrong in and of themselves, they can also be shallow and are relatively easy to do. St. Valentine, however, is an example of hard love. Valentine cared for God’s people enough that he did the hard things of confessing the truth that would cost him his life, and by opposing the secular law which opposed the truth of the Gospel. First and foremost, he always preached Christ crucified. Second, he cared for God’s people in the ways they needed, even if they weren’t easy.

So, as you celebrate Valentine’s Day, don’t only do the easy things – the love notes, romantic gestures, and gifts. Look at the people in your life and see what they actually need. Begin your day with prayer: give thanks to God for the family and friends in your life and pray that they would be sustained in the true faith until life everlasting. Then, show your love for them by doing something they need.

Love never promised to be easy. Love wants what is best for those around you. For this Valentine’s Day, remember St. Valentine’s example and do something for the ones you love that they need, not what you want or what is easy. In this way, you will be an example of Christ to them because He did what we needed, not what was easy.

Your servant in Christ,
Vicar Mars