What has the juxtaposition of Ash Wednesday and Valentine Day got to do, especially in the days of moral free falls? Theodore Roosevelt said, “To educate a man in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society.” Ash-Valentine is a reflection on the moral and spiritual lessons of the season of Lent and Valentine’s Day, namely – Sacrifice, prayer, and giving. Ash-Valentine calls us to be careful of any partial or reductionist version of Valentine and Lent to which we have become accustomed. Ash-Valentine is therefore about the proclamation of the good news about great events especially, victory over sin and lust, as we take stock and deepen our Christian faith and ministry.
Sometimes it is difficult to oppose the world’s view of doing things. Sometimes it’s difficult to proclaim the truth of God’s Love, and that is what Jesus and St. Valentine did! Just as the note that started the custom of exchanging love note on Valentine Day was written on the day Valentine died, February 14, 269 A.D., the Bible, the Word of God is the key to Lent messages, especially in reference to God’s gift to you and me of eternal life through Jesus’ death and Resurrection. The purpose of Lent and Valentine is to strengthen our faith and to remind us of the shortness of our life. The love of Jesus and that of St Valentine were expressed in sacrifice, prayer and giving. It was true love from romanticism to heroism. Lent begins with a reminder of death through the words that echos language from the funeral liturgy, “Ashes to ashes and dust to dust.’ In reflection, the reality of death especially dying to our old way and repentance go hand-in-hand.
Every year on this day, people remember St Valentine who gave up his head for the Truth, for the Cross, for the Lent and not just his palm branches. True Valentine is not just a lavish demonstration of earthly affection for one another with cards, candy, flowers and dinner invitation. Flowers will die. Candy gets eaten. Balloons will pop. Stuffed animals may stop singing. Cards may get lost or thrown away (Is 54:10). Ash-Valentine has to do with the state of our hearts. Just as Valentine’s Day can be used as an act of consumerism and absurdity of romantic love, Lent too can be used as a superficial devotion or a self-righteous legalism. Lent and Valentine Day points to a time to look inside at how we obey God’s word,
Lent and Valentine Day calls us to check whether our priorities are out of line because our love is out of line. St Valentine was not short of God’s love or afraid of the Emperor. True love rejoice in Truth just as St Valentine did. Righteousness is predicated on Truth, the Word of God hence, Lent and Valentine day should work on Truth and rejoice in Truth and not in crass consumerism. It may be easy to blame Hollywood for giving false impression about love or Photoshop giving unrealistic impressions of beauty and sex. Lent and Valentine Day calls for repentance from ‘do-your-own-thing morality,’ and to stop the increasing assault on the Christian common sense and the common values by popular culture. St. Valentine loved God enough to die for God’s Truth. Jesus fasted for 40 days in preparation for his death and Resurrection. The better way to celebrate Lent and Valentine Day is to commit or recommit our life to Jesus, the Redeemer.
Let us join with all those of all the ages who pray: Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. (Psalm 51:1-2)
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