February Drinking Companion

St. Valentine of Rome

I always enjoy writing about saints whose days are widely celebrated in the secular and pagan sense of todays world, due to modern misunderstanding of their lives. St. Patrick for example we celebrate by getting drunk, and hoping for leprechauns and pots of gold, like it’s Cinco de Mayo or 4th of July. To an extent this is true, because on this day we celebrate the independence of Ireland, like Mexico would on the 5th and the U.S.A. on the 4th. However, Ireland was liberated through the actions of one man, due to his teaching of Catholic Christianity, and that is why we celebrate St. Patrick for the past 1500 years.

In this same respect, St. Valentine carries a similar condonation. In his case we think of cherubs in diapers shooting arrows in hopes of obtaining another’s love. While it’s true love is at the heart of this holiday, it’s a different kind of love. First St. Valentine was known for settling a lovers quarrel by handing the arguing couple a rose to settle their differences. This couple then went to Valentine and ask him to marry them. Valentine would continue to marry people against the wishes of the Roman government, because a married man could not be sent to war. Eventually St. Valentine was martyred by clubbing and beheading.

This death happened because he would not renounce his faith, and what it called him to do as a priest. That is to promote love, in a sacrificial way through marriage and Christianity. To lay one’s life down to will the good of another. Now days we buy chocolates, big balloons and roses in hopes of laying down in other indulgent ways. Like St. Valentine who lives on now for over 1600+ years in memory, may we too understand that True sacrifice is what will lead to great glory and eternal life. Like Patrick and Valentine, their sacrifice lives on, while the indulgences of today are quick to die tomorrow with little memory or influence. Hope you enjoy this poem I wrote for him, which was inspired by the years of delivering flowers at my friends flower shop for Valentines Day.