On February 14, 269 AD, a man by the name of Priest Valentine was sentenced to death for secretly performing marriages after they were outlawed for young couples. In a time where people were deciding that it was not important to get married and actually condemned the action of getting married to another, St. Valentine risked everything to make sure these young lovers could be married under God. What a Godly man he must have been.
February 14 — “Valentine’s Day” — was labelled as such, to honour Priest Valentine and his act of sacrificial love and undeniable compassion in a not so loving time.
Jesus says that, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13).”
Jesus laid down His life for His friends (every single one of us). St. Valentine laid down his life for his friends (any couple who wanted to be married). We lay down our lives for our children, our partners, our friends, our family members, and Jesus.
We sacrifice parts of our lives if our parents get sick and need to be taken care of because we love them with a sacrificial love. We would sacrifice a kidney for our friends if they needed one because we love them with a sacrificial love. We would sacrifice our own lives for Jesus, if it was our life or denouncing His Holy name, because we love Him with a sacrificial love. And we do sacrifice, every day, a comfortable life for one that is not because of our sacrificial love for Jesus. We do not lay in comfort in the ways of this world, but rather live uncomfortably because we love Him sacrificially. Sacrifice is what makes love so powerful and meaningful and pure.
If you enjoyed the information here, you can read more in my book that this is extracted from:
Here are some Valentine’s Day children’s books I have written as well:
