Valentine’s Day, what can we say…? Valentine’s Day was named after a priest who performed weddings, even when the state outlawed them. He believed so strongly in marriage and family that he risked his own life for the future and happiness of others. Valentine was a young man who opposed the government because its laws were contrary to his beliefs. He stood up for what he believed, in spite of the odds against him.
Was he right to stand against the government? Is it right to stand against those that have been placed in authority over us? Aren’t we told to respect authority, and obey those over us? How then can we justify Valentine’s lawlessness? Not with love; love is not a motive worth sinning for. Love isn’t a reason to disobey both God and Man. So, why did Valentine do what he did? Not for love, but because he felt called of God to do the things he did.
What was Valentine fighting for? In a sense, it was for Christ’s sake. The family is a picture of the Trinity and exemplifies the God-head in its functionality, (in a perfect world). But mostly, Valentine was fighting for the freedom to act upon conviction. Valentine wasn’t opposing just a government or law, he stood up against the idea that soldiers fight better if they are not preoccupied with their families. Valentine argued that their families were the reason the soldiers fought: to protect them, and to be able to come back to them and find them safe.
Valentine was a driven man, he passed through many dangers simply to perform marriages. He viewed the institution of marriage as something sacred and holy, so much so that he was willing to die for it. Valentine believed in God, in marriage, and in family. He set the example for us today, and yet we treat his day like a joke. This day, named after Saint Valentine has become one of obligation and carnal love.
For some, it is a day that we have to buy candy for spouses, friends, or, (if you’re a homeschooler), siblings. For others, Valentines Day is an excuse to go on a date, to celebrate love and relationships. Really though, that’s not what it’s all about. Valentines Day is about marriage, family, and God’s love, not Man’s love. We’re celebrating the wrong thing in the wrong way with the wrong mindset(attitude).
There are many traditions of Valentine’s Day that can benefit young adults, teens, and even younger children by teaching them the values of chivalry, etiquette, and just overall how to be a gentleman or a lady. Those are all good principals, but that’s not the heart of this holiday. So, if you’re single like me, remember that Valentine’s Day is primarily about family, not Cupid, not boy/girl, not even love: it’s about family. So, enjoy it for what it is to you now, until you can enjoy it with a family of your own someday.
As always, thanks for reading.
—the anonymous novelist
the anonymous novelist 