Thursday, 14 February 2013

UNDERSTANDING VALENTINE'S DAY.....


It is all about Valentine!
It is all about Love!
It is all about You!

          It is obvious that the D-day has come. It is Valentine’s Day. A day many people have being waiting for. Valentine ’s Day is indeed a red-letter-day. Why then is Valentine ’s Day a red-letter-day?
In today’s calendar 14th February, Valentine celebration remains memorable and now become indelible to be celebrated yearly.
Valentine’s Day is a day named after one or more early Christian Martyrs named Saint Valentine, and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496AD. It was deleted from General Roman Calendar of saints in 1969 by Pope Paul VI. It is traditionally a day on which lovers express their love offering confectionary, sending greeting cards and other gift-known as “valentines”. Even though the day first became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Age, when the tradition of Courtly love flourished, it is akin to depict the showing of True love to people around us; to ourselves, our families, our colleagues in our workplaces, our friends, the less privileges and even the Church in which we worship. Without the understanding of true Love as from Christ view, we cannot enjoy the celebration of Valentine.
          The historical genealogy of Valentine’s Day is attributed to many stories, even with that, all the stories are encapsulated to one major fact - LOVE. That is to say that the stories are varied but love was the Centre Focus of them all.
A version of Valentines genealogy to mull-over
St. Valentine was persecuted as a Christian and interrogated by Roman Emperor Claudius II in person. Claudius was impressed by Valentine and had a discussion with him, attempting to get him to convert to Roman Paganism in order to save his life. Valentine refused and tried to convert Claudius to Christianity instead. Because of this, he (Valentine) was executed. Before his execution he is reported to have performed a miracle by healing the blind daughter of his jailer. On the evening before Valentine was to be executed, he would have written the first Valentine card himself, addressed to the young girl variously identified as his beloved, as the jailers daughter who had befriended and healed or both. It was a note that read ‘FROM YOUR VALENTINE’. This version is but one out of the numerous genesis of valentine’s day. Consequently, St. Valentines being imprisoned may be regarded as a MILLSTONE OVER HIS NECK, but he never allowed that to weigh him down from loving. The millstone over his neck that he overcame is what has become a MILESTONE in love’s history.
          Today’s Valentine and how to spend it.
Saint Valentine’s Day, commonly shortened to Valentine’s Day is an annual commemoration held on February 14th celebrating love and affection between intimate companions.
    As God sent His only begotten son, Jesus Christ to die for our sins, so are we to show the love during this period of Valentine. The greatest aspect of love ever seen and known in the world is what Jesus Christ showed for us; by going to the cross to redeem us of all our sins. The day and season is all about love, and if it should be celebrated, it must be from the depth of our heart.
While many love the world and things inside the world, loving the word of God makes this season a better one. Jesus showed love, so should we. God is love and love is God. It is another rare privilege to share with love ones this 2013. Share it with the less privileges if you can, share it with your family if you can, share it with your friends if you can, one thing should be dwelling in our minds, let us just share the love the right way. For sharing it with people around is an act of appreciation. Valentine is a day to share with people around. Therefore, identify a need and then meet it. If you don’t have anything to offer as a gift to someone, offer yourself as a gift to this generation, as Christ offered Himself to humanity as a gift. Happy Valentines.  
“To love is to receive a glimpse of heaven." - Karen Sunde
        

No comments:

Post a Comment