Happy Valentine's Day! I had a church member chastise me one time for speaking of Christmas in a sermon. (He also didn't think I should use the New International Version of the Bible, only King James Version). Being the smart fellow I am, I asked him if he had ever given his wife roses or a card on Valentine's Day. Yes, I had him. "No, I haven't!" he said emphatically. Shucks, I thought I could get him on that one. "How sad," I thought that you wouldn't even do something like that for your life's companion.
I decided to do a little research on Valentine's Day. Seems, as usual, it was originated to take the place of a pagan holiday. Once a year the pagans would have a lottery for the men to select the women they could, well, have sex with for the next year. Once a year they would do this so that every year one would get another partner. The Catholic Church didn't approve of this practice. In about the 3rd century A.D., the emperor Claudius outlawed marriage. He felt that married men made horrible soldiers. There was a bishop by the name of Valentine who would surreptitiously marry those who were in love. He was jailed and eventually martyred. Thus, the Catholic Church began to honor this. Also, it's said that Valentine fell in love with the jailer's blind daughter. He allegedly healed her blindness and in a farewell message wrote to her, "From Your Valentine." Let's hear the collective "ahhhhhh," from the women folk out there. There you have it.
May it never be said that this blog is occasionally educational. I hope your day is good. Be kind and nice to your Valentine. Have a great day. JW
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