With Valentine's Day approaching, I reviewed the information I had on Saint Valentine. There were actually two Valentine's, with the same saint's Day, February 14. Some scholars believe that there was actually only one, but his stories got told in a way that made it sound like two men. The original Valentine had nothing to do with love in particular (though, presumably, any Christian is related to love). But February 14 is the day on which it was traditionally thought that birds paired up. Thus, the coincidence of pairing and February 14 tied Valentine to love.
Many of us see Valentine's day not solely as a day to celebrate romantic love. It is a time to celebrate all good and wholesome love, for as the epistle of I John reminds us, love is from God and the one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
Love is more than an emotion. Love involves a commitment to the positive welfare of others. In fact, love can be lived even where there are no warm emotional feelings. The commitment to others can sustain us through the times when we don't "feel" the love.
God bless you.
