I’m not here to give you the history of the day or the particular saint (or non-saint) it may be based on. If you want to read more about the Catholic history of the day, feel free to click here. I’m here to remind you of something that I feel very strongly about. Love is meant to be shown every day, to be celebrated every day, not just one day a year.
Often times the “valentines” that are exchanged contain the term “Will you be mine?” We should remember that no one is ever alone on Valentine’s Day. Everyone has a valentine. Jesus Christ is the single most important valentine that we have and I guarantee you, he doesn’t get many cards - but perhaps people just think he’s allergic to chocolate.
We should take comfort in the fact, however, that we are taking time out of our usually hectic lives to acknowledge that we all share love with someone. My only piece of advice is to not let it end when the chocolates are gone, or after the cards are exchanged. We should continue to express the affection we have to the people in our lives who are always there for us, who know us best, and often times feel the same way about us, every day. Let us not also forget that Jesus shows us his love everyday as well, we should follow his example.
All this being said, however, I hope that you do take the time tomorrow to express some love. Call your parents, your grandparents, your husband or wife, friends you haven’t spoken to in a long time - reach out and remind them that you love them today, and every day.
Chris Pierno is the Media and Marketing Manager for the Catholic Apostolate Center