Dedicated to all married couples and lovers in relationships, who by definition are *Valentines* and *Valentinas*.
1. The history of *Valentine Day* dates back to St Valentine, a Catholic priest, who lived in an age when the Roman emperor abolished marriage, which means that wedding is a crime. As a holy priest, Valentine foresaw the danger of unmarried lovers indulging in lustful acts, so to prevent such, he began the custom of wedding them in secret so that instead of being sinful lovers, they will become married partners.
*Lesson*: Valentine Day is not a day to indulge in romantic acts as many youths do which Valentine prevented. They replace impure *sins* with the word *fun* as if God approves them.
2. On the Process of his secret wedding of lovers, Valentine saved many of them from the premarital sex and other sins against virginal chastity by his great teachings on how self-control. They understood what it means that their bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit because their bodies were Baptized, Confirmed, receive Eucharist and other Sacraments.
*Lesson*: Valentine teaches the modern world filled with mystery of carnal iniquity that chastity is still possible. He tells every lover to see something beyond sex and romance. He begs you not to abuse your bodies every February 14.
3. In wedding lovers in Secret, the news later got to the emperor, and He persecuted and and ordered the Killing of Fr Valentine. Hence, the holy priest became a martyr on account of his Goodwill; he sacrificed his life for the truth.
*Lesson*: The red worn on Valentine’s Day symbolises blood and sacrifice with reference to the martyrdom of the holy priest. This teaches every lover in relationship to make sacrifices for each other, even to the point of death. In any relationship where one party is always at receiving end, then s/he is a parasite and selfish.
4. Valentine taught the lovers the importance of prayer so as to build their relationship on God, and not on the flesh. He exhorted them that God is the Foundation to a happy love life in marriage which begins in courtship/relationship.
*Lesson*: What strengthens relationships/marriages is involvement of God. And this is achieved through sincere prayer that comes from the heart and not just the lips. February 14 in fact should be one of the greatest days lovers should pray together to as to fortify their mutual koinonia. This koinonia is a practical prayer which will make God an unseen Guest.
5. One of the things Valentine taught the lovers of his time was the importance of showing charity, that is, *Love*. This charity comes in three ways: in *thoughts*, in *words*, and in *actions*.
*Lesson*: In the spirit of Valentine, it would be a nice practice to show love in these ways for they go pari passu. In *thought* say a secret prayer for your lover. In *words* tell him/her the content of your secret prayers and mention a good wish you have for him/her. In *action*, make an exchange of gifts which is a physical representation of your *thoughts* and *words* for each other.
*Conclusion*: All these show that love life is a gift from God who created humans male and female. Hence, the message of February 14 is realized when 14 is divided by 2, thee result is 7, which refers to creation to show that after creating man and woman, God rested on Day 7 and invited them to do same. This is what makes the number 7 to signify perfection, February 14 is a double 7; 14 into 2 places which means that the two man and woman who rest with God should also relax with each other in joy. Married couples should also involve their website they will tellchildren in çelebrating Valentine. The greater lesson is that lovers should love each other because of what love is, and not what love does. God is *LOVE*.
HAPPY VALENTINE DAY TO OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS
© NMDI [Bringing Hope, Lighting Lives]
About The Author
