“The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” Gal. 5:6
Valentine’s Day… where did the tradition of giving notes of love, gifts and affection every February 14th come from? While there are several different versions, St. Valentine was a physician and priest living in Rome during the rule of the Emperor Claudius, and became one of the noted martyrs of the third century. The commemoration of his death, which occurred in the year 270, became part of the calendar of remembrance in the early church of the West. Tradition suggests that on the day of his execution for his Christian faith, he left a note of encouragement for a child of his jailer (her name was “Hallmark” – Ha! Just kidding!) written on an irregularly-shaped piece of paper. This greeting, the first valentine, became a pattern for millions of written expressions of love and caring we are familiar with today. As I noted earlier, there are other traditions of the genesis of Valentine’s Day.
Our Lord knows a little something about love. God is love. And He showed forth that loving character by sending His Son to live and die for those who did not love Him, in fact, who despised and rejected Him – us. He did not love us because we loved Him first. Indeed, we cannot by fallen nature ever love Him on our own. No, He loved us first because He alone IS love. A sacrificial Love. And since He lovingly sent His Son to us, He has graciously made us truly alive in Him – that is, those who once again by grace through faith are connected to Him and His love. Those who can reflect God’s love and image to those around us.
Martin Luther has these thoughts on love: “Love is the inevitable fruit of faith. This is what Christ meant when He finally gave no commandment except that of love (John 15:12), by which men were to recognize those who are His disciples and true believers. For where works and love do not appear, faith is not genuine, the Gospel has not taken hold, and Christ is not recognized aright.” To this, Luther adds these words: “Now although faith does not fulfill the Law, yet it has that by which it is fulfilled; for it obtains the Spirit and love. By these the Law is fulfilled.
The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Galatians (Gal. 5:6) writes: “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” Keeping the Law, observing rituals, honoring traditions, offering all kinds of sacrifices have no value. Christ has fulfilled the Law for us and made all things new. That is why Jesus said a new commandment I give you: LOVE GOD; LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR!
As the 14th of February draws closer, may the God Who is Love make you ever mindful of The Valentine of all valentines, His dear Son, nailed to a cross for you, buried in a tomb for you, and raised from the dead for you. And mindful of that Love which made you alive by His work of grace, that you would be so moved to love in kind not only your Lord, but those who are around you, that they too might see the Love of God for them lived out before them. That they might know you are Jesus’ disciples by your love for them.
~ Pastor Dennis Krueger