February 2007

Be my Valentine…

Back in the 3rd century Claudius, the then Emperor of Rome, wanted to raise a large army in order to go out and conquer the world but found his subjects harder to convince. They had no wish to leave their wives and families in order to go to war so Claudius took a decision to make marriage illegal.

One priest who ignored this edict and carried on marrying couples in secret was Valentine. Eventually he was captured and thrown into prison.
Every day young couples would come and throw notes and flowers up to the window of his cell where he was often visited by the daughter of one of his jailers.

This is no fairy story and it did not have a happy ending.

On the 14th of February 269AD Valentine was put to death but not before he had sent a note to the jailers daughter thanking her for her friendship.

The note contained a yellow crocus and was signed “From Your Valentine”.

Valentine’s day each year reminds us of the love of that young girl for her friend Valentine, the love of Valentine who died for the what he believed was right, and the love of Christ Jesus, the supreme example of love, who gave his life for each one of us with a love that is offered freely, totally and unconditionally.