Valentine's Day - The day of lovers

Am 14. February each year, lovers all over the world declare their undying love for one another. The custom of this day goes back to the feast of St. Valentinus, which was introduced by Pope Gelasius in 469 as a day of remembrance for the whole church. Many people use this day to express their affection for someone.

The more romantic among us write poems and play a song for their loved one or give away heart-shaped sweets on this day. Expressing love takes a lot of planning and comes at a price. With these thoughts in mind, I started thinking about God and his love for us.

The love of God is not a quality of him, but his essence. God himself is love personified: «He who does not love does not know God; because God is love. In it the love of God appeared among us, that God sent his only begotten Son into the world that we should live through him. This is what love consists in: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be atone for our sins »(1. John 4,8-10).

Often one reads quickly over these words and does not pause, do not think about the fact that God's love was expressed in the crucifixion of his own Son. Even before the world was created, Jesus decided to lay down his life for God's creation through his death. "For in him he chose us before the foundation of the world was laid that we should be holy and blameless before him in love" (Ephesians 1,4).
The one who created the cosmic galaxies and the flawless intricacies of an orchid would willingly give up his size, fame and power and be with us humans, as one of us, on earth. It is almost impossible for us to grasp this.

Like us, Jesus froze in the cold winter nights and endured the stifling heat in the summer. The tears that ran down his cheeks as he saw the suffering around him were as real as ours. These wet marks on the face are possibly the most impressive sign of his humanity.

Why for such a high price?

To top it all off, he was voluntarily crucified. But why did it have to be the most heinous type of execution ever invented by humans? He was beaten by trained soldiers who, before nailing him to the cross, taunted and mocked him. Was it really necessary to press a crown of thorns onto his head? Why did they spat on him? Why this humiliation? Can you imagine the pain when large, blunt nails were driven into his body? Or when he got weaker and the pain was unbearable? The overwhelming panic when he couldn't breathe - unimaginable. The sponge soaked in vinegar that he received shortly before his death - why was he part of the dying process of his beloved son? Then the unbelievable happens: the Father, who was in a perfect permanent relationship with the Son, turned away from him when he took on our sin.

What a price to pay to show his love for us and restore our sin-broken relationship with God. About 2000 years ago we received the greatest love gift there is on a hill on Golgotha. Jesus thought of us humans when he died and it was this love that helped him endure all abominations. With all the pain that Jesus went through at that moment, I imagine him whispering softly: «I do all this only for you! I love you!"

The next time you feel unloved or alone on Valentine's Day, remind yourself that God's love for you has no limits. He endured the horrors of that day so that he could spend eternity with you.

"For I am certain that neither death nor life, neither angels nor powers nor rulers, neither present nor future, neither high nor deep, nor any other creature can separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" ( Romans 8,38-39).

Although Valentine's Day is a popular day to show your love for someone, I am sure that the greatest day of love is when our Lord Jesus Christ died for us.

by Tim Maguire