By John Varghese.
Approximately 250 years after Jesus was born in Bethlehem,
there was a priest by the name of VALENTINE.
He lived in Rome. At that time, Claudius was the
Emperor of Rome. Some people called him Claudius
the Cruel. St. Valentine didn’t like Emperor Claudius, and
he wasn’t the only one! Many people felt the same way.
Claudius wanted a big army. He thought men should volunteer
to join. Many men just did not want to leave home and go
off to fight in wars. They did not want to leave their girlfriends
and wives. So, not many men volunteered for the Roman army.
This made Emperor Claudius very angry. He had a
crazy idea that if men were not married, they would be more inclined to
join his army. So Claudius decreed that there would be no more
marriages. Young people thought his new law was really cruel.
Valentine thought it was ridiculous! One of his favorite duties as a
priest was to marry people. After Emperor Claudius passed his
law, Valentine kept on performing marriage ceremonies – but
secretly. He would whisper the words of the ceremony, while listening
for soldiers on the steps outside. One night, Valentine did hear
footsteps at his door. The couple he was marrying escaped, but
he was caught. He was thrown in jail and told that his punishment was death.
St. Valentine tried to stay cheerful. Many young people came to the jail
to visit him. They threw flowers and notes up to his window. They
wanted him to know that they, too, believed in love. One of these
young people was the daughter of the prison guard. Her
father allowed her to visit him in his cell. They often sat and talked
for hours. She believed he did the right thing by ignoring the Emperor
and performing marriage ceremonies.
ON THE DAY VALENTINE WAS TO DIE, HE LEFT HER A NOTE THANKING
HER FOR HER FRIENDSHIP AND LOYALTY. HE SIGNED IT, "LOVE FROM YOUR
VALENTINE." THAT NOTE STARTED THE CUSTOM OF EXCHANGING LOVE
NOTES ON VALENTINE’S DAY. IT WAS WRITTEN ON THE DAY HE DIED,
FEBRUARY 14, 269 A.D. NOW, EVERY YEAR ON THIS DAY, PEOPLE
REMEMBER. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, THEY THINK ABOUT LOVE
AND FRIENDSHIP. WHEN THEY THINK OF EMPEROR CLAUDIUS,
THEY REMEMBER HOW HE TRIED TO STAND IN THE WAY OF LOVE,
AND THEY LAUGH -- BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT LOVE CAN’T BE BEATEN!
THESE VALENTINES FROM GOD ARE NOT JUST FOR A FEW. THEY
ARE FOR YOU...FOR ME... FOR EVERYONE! AND THEY ARE NOT
JUST FOR FEBRUARY 14TH..BUT FOR EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR.
EACH DAY IS VALENTINE’S DAY WHEN YOU ARE THE BELOVED OF GOD!
Approximately 250 years after Jesus was born in Bethlehem,
there was a priest by the name of VALENTINE.
He lived in Rome. At that time, Claudius was the
Emperor of Rome. Some people called him Claudius
the Cruel. St. Valentine didn’t like Emperor Claudius, and
he wasn’t the only one! Many people felt the same way.
Claudius wanted a big army. He thought men should volunteer
to join. Many men just did not want to leave home and go
off to fight in wars. They did not want to leave their girlfriends
and wives. So, not many men volunteered for the Roman army.
This made Emperor Claudius very angry. He had a
crazy idea that if men were not married, they would be more inclined to
join his army. So Claudius decreed that there would be no more
marriages. Young people thought his new law was really cruel.
Valentine thought it was ridiculous! One of his favorite duties as a
priest was to marry people. After Emperor Claudius passed his
law, Valentine kept on performing marriage ceremonies – but
secretly. He would whisper the words of the ceremony, while listening
for soldiers on the steps outside. One night, Valentine did hear
footsteps at his door. The couple he was marrying escaped, but
he was caught. He was thrown in jail and told that his punishment was death.
St. Valentine tried to stay cheerful. Many young people came to the jail
to visit him. They threw flowers and notes up to his window. They
wanted him to know that they, too, believed in love. One of these
young people was the daughter of the prison guard. Her
father allowed her to visit him in his cell. They often sat and talked
for hours. She believed he did the right thing by ignoring the Emperor
and performing marriage ceremonies.
ON THE DAY VALENTINE WAS TO DIE, HE LEFT HER A NOTE THANKING
HER FOR HER FRIENDSHIP AND LOYALTY. HE SIGNED IT, "LOVE FROM YOUR
VALENTINE." THAT NOTE STARTED THE CUSTOM OF EXCHANGING LOVE
NOTES ON VALENTINE’S DAY. IT WAS WRITTEN ON THE DAY HE DIED,
FEBRUARY 14, 269 A.D. NOW, EVERY YEAR ON THIS DAY, PEOPLE
REMEMBER. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, THEY THINK ABOUT LOVE
AND FRIENDSHIP. WHEN THEY THINK OF EMPEROR CLAUDIUS,
THEY REMEMBER HOW HE TRIED TO STAND IN THE WAY OF LOVE,
AND THEY LAUGH -- BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT LOVE CAN’T BE BEATEN!
THESE VALENTINES FROM GOD ARE NOT JUST FOR A FEW. THEY
ARE FOR YOU...FOR ME... FOR EVERYONE! AND THEY ARE NOT
JUST FOR FEBRUARY 14TH..BUT FOR EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR.
EACH DAY IS VALENTINE’S DAY WHEN YOU ARE THE BELOVED OF GOD!
ABSOLUTE LOVE FOR US.
Of LOVE!!
2 comments:
Great Article!! :) I am so thankful to Live under God's Love! He is so good to me. Yes, I agree...Everyday should be valued as a Valentines day for us...For God's love is constant! Thank You John. Really enjoyed this article.
Lovely Indeed. Thanks for sharing..
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