Happy VaLENTine's Day
We are entering an awkward alignment of the stars where Valentine's Day is on the first Day of Lent this year. Easter is on April Fool's Day (more to come on that!).
Sometimes putting two contradictory things together help us understand both better.
Anyone who wants to become the greatest, must become the least
Blessed are the poor
Want to save your life, lose it
You get the idea. Those just came to mind.
Celebrate love by remembering death. Yes.
Yeah, it forces us to get outside the pithy romantic notions we are used to. And forces a more sober (not somber) approach. The sober approach lasts. It gets past the infatuation. Moves beyond the first "who the heck do you think you are?" fight. It shows up time and time again.
The lesson God taught me (or reminded me) this year with VaLENTines Day falling on the 1st Day of Lent? Love takes sacrifice. Love requires death. If I can't die a little to myself, I cannot truly love. I cannot truly be loved.
And so for the sake of my marriage. For the sake of my friends, family, neighbors and enemies. For the sake of my God. And for my own sake, I embrace my mortality once again. To think you can love or be loved without dying is naive. It is destructive and selfish.
Happy VaLENTine's Day. Thanks God.
