Thoughts on Saint Valentine

 

As many people in the secular world reduce this day to simply an exaltation of romance, in the traditional Latin calendar we remember a man who shows us the path of true love, the priest and martyr, St. Valentine. Our Lady of Fatima warned us that the Church would suffer a time of great trial, and many would lose sight of the good of chastity and purity. The nature and purpose of love, of marriage, and of the family have become deeply misunderstood or outright rejected across the world and such chaos has brought great harm to millions of souls.

So while it is undeniably honorable to have a day dedicated to love, it is imperative that such a dedication is guided by a true and profound understanding of love’s nature. So on this day which so many use to justify all kinds of licentiousness, let us turn back to the origin of this celebration and reflect upon the life of St. Valentine. St. Valentine was a priest during the third century. While little is known about him, what is certain is that he served the Lord devoutly, so much so that he took a vow of celibacy and was ready to lay his life down for our King. In a society obsessed with feelings of romance, such acts of love seem utterly foolish. Yet, St. Valentine understood that love is not simply a pleasurable feeling, nor is about what the individual can get out of a relationship. Love is about recognizing the good in the other and willing that person’s good, even if it means your own harm. It is not concerned about “me”, but about “you." It is not concerned about what feels good, but what it is good. Thus, when we see that God is good and the source of all that is good, we are ready to lay down our senses, our desires, our very lives and all that we are for Him, as He has done for us. This is the love which is above every other virtue. This is the love Our Lady of Fatima has for us and which She calls us to. This is the love which draws a man and woman so closely together that through God’s grace they become a family and start a family. This is the love we must celebrate and live out this day! In the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, Christopher P. Wendt International Director Confraternity of Our Lady of Fatima