MY POINT OF VIEW: Valentine’s Day usually means sweethearts

St. Valentine

by Gary Kennedy

When we think of Valentine’s Day we think of sweethearts, roses and candies. For most of us it implies love and how we can show it, thus the beauty and the sweets. Some people display this special day in other ways such as, Rose Day, Propose Day, Chocolate Day, Teddy Day and ends on February 14 as Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s week is the most celebrated love week of the year.

However, St. Valentine’s Day started as a Christian feast day honoring one or two Christian martyrs name Saint Valentine. Biblically speaking we refer to 1st Corinthians 13:4-8, Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self seeking, and it is not one sided keeps no record of wrongs. (Song of Solomon 8:7), many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away. Let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us. He sent his one and only son into the world that we might live through him. The trick is to not read anything into the process but to accept it as the greatest gift you shall ever receive, God’s love through his son. Remember, this is a Christian view.

The name Valentine was actually named after a third-century martyr. This holiday has absolutely no roots in or from the Bible even though we can equate appropriate biblical passages from the Bible. In all due respect we must remember that there are many religions which are not Christian. By that I mean there are faiths that don’t believe or worship the same.

To be more explicit some faiths don’t believe in Christ but do believe in God. Christians believe that God has a son and others who parallel the Christian religion believe that Christ was a prophet, but not the son of God. Holy wars have been fought all over our earth for as long as religion has existed.

So it has always been wise to handle Valentine’s Day from a sweetheart/lovers perspective and not a religious one. This problem has gone on for many centuries. I am just giving you a vague other view for our celebrating a holiday which seems to imply religious overtones. So respectfully, let’s keep it as it was originally intended and buy those chocolates and roses for someone that we hold dear. This could be your sweetheart, a close friend in your classroom or even your mother.

For those of you who want more information from the religious point of view, St. Valentine was a Roman priest and physician who suffered martyrdom during the persecution of Christians by the emperor Claudius II Gothicus at about 270. He was buried on the Via Flaminia and Pope Julius I reportedly built a basilica over his grave.

Valentine’s Day is banned in several countries such as Iran, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Pakistan and even regions of Russia. This St. Valentine’s Day originated as a Christian Feast Day honoring one or two early Christian martyrs named Valentine. This most likely is how this holiday received connection with religion, especially Christianity. So, I guess we just have to remember the true roots of this sweet love filled holiday is the commercial celebration of romance and love in many regions of the world.

As for myself, I probably will head for the florist shop and design a nifty bouquet of flowers and put them together with something sweet, besides myself and present them in some romantic fashion to my loving partner. I being a man of letters and words will probably design a sweet display in card form in order to receive my reward, a hug and a kiss, if I am lucky.

Whatever your choice will be, we here sincerely wish you and your loved ones a very happy Valentine’s Day. Even though some of you may have been mislead by the meaning of this holiday, love is in the air and as we know God is love, so he automatically comes with it. God bless you all and have a very happy and safe Valentine’s Day.

The views of the author in this column are not necessarily those of The Town Line newspaper, its staff and board of directors.