Although not a lot is known about his life, what is known about him is probably what all of us would want to be known for… LOVE
A couple of other things definitely known about him are that he died on 14th February. The reason he died on 14th February is evidence of one of the true definitions of love. No matter what happens, or what goes on, you will always stand by those you love, even die for them.
In 269AD, Emperor Claudius II commanded Valentenus the priest, to renounce his faith. Because he wouldn’t do this, Claudius II ordered him beaten with clubs, and then to be beheaded.
Quite an horrific story – a man who was renowned for the love of humankind. Yet at the same time, an incredibly beautiful story.
In the Bible, in the book of John. Chapter 15, verse 13, it says Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
In the movie 7 pounds – Will Smith plays Tim, who takes on the identity of his brother Ben, who works for the IRS. During a car accident for which he blames himself for the death of 7 people. He feels guilty and goes about to repay the debts to 7 other people, including his brother who is dying.
In order to do this, his own life is given to help 6 people who desperately need organs to survive, and then to also donate his house to another hispanic lady who needs help financially.
There are many stories, fairy tales and hundreds of movies and songs about this thing called love. Shakespeare himself wrote one of the most famous love stories of all time in Romeo and Juliette.
A band from the 90’s wrote a song called “love is a verb”, and although we see this in movies on a regular basis, it seems that this is not quite lived out quite so heroically in day to day life with a large number of us.
AUSTRALIA – AMERICA
In Australia while going to school, you only ever gave a Valentines card, or received a Valentines card if you had a girlfriend or boyfriend.
We also lived in America for 4 and 1/2 years. In America it’s a totally different story, everybody gives cards to all of their friends. This was quite a shock the first year of living there as you could imagine…
LOVE IS A VERB
All this to say – Valentine’s Day is a celebration of a great man, now recognised as a saint, a day dedicated to the greatest action, feeling, emotion, speech and desire we could ever have.
In your family, what can you do to show your children what true love really is?
Make Valentine’s Day a day of education, action, emotion and feelings for you and your children.
As much as this sounds like I’m grabbing for cliches, your children’s lives really will be influenced for the better, literally forever.