February 14 2020 - Valentine, Cyril and Methodius - No greater love

Up until the reforms of Vatican II, today was the feast of St. Valentine, which is why our country celebrates Valentine’s Day on the 14th day of February.  Valentine was a bishop in 3rd century Rome. For being a Christian he was arrested, beaten, and beheaded, but not before he converted his jailor by performing a miracle of healing—Valentine cured the jailor’s daughter from blindness. Valentine’s great love for Christ and the Christian faith impelled him to offer the supreme witness of martyrdom.

Centuries later, two missionary brothers from Greece were impelled by the love of Christ and for souls to bring the Gospel to the Slavic people. Cyril and Methodius were tireless in laboring for the Gospel, even developing an entirely new alphabet, the Slavanic alphabet, also called the Cyrillic Alphabet after St. Cyril, so that the Scriptures could be read by the Slavic people.

Impelled by love, many people in our culture today will send their sweethearts valentine’s day cards, chocolates, or take them to a nice dinner. And that’s fine. Romantic love is important. It certainly has its role to play in the divine plan.

And yet, Our Lord teaches that there are higher forms of love, which bring greater goodness and greater fulfillment to the human heart.  “There is no greater love” than of Him who bore the greatest of sufferings, who laid down his life for us. It is this love that we are to imitate—this love for God and for souls.

Cyril and Methodius and Saint Valentine teach us that the greatest Valentine we can give to someone is to help them know the love of Jesus Christ. Teaching them to read the great love letter from God, the Holy Scriptures, and to show them what it looks like for a soul to love God more than he loves himself.

May love impel us into the lives of the loveless today. May all we encounter today grow in faith, hope, and love, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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We bring forth now our prayers of petitions.
That the Holy Father and the bishops may be always faithful in defending the Church from heresy and working for the spread of the true faith, and for the Holy Father’s prayer intentions for this month: that the needs of migrants and victims of human trafficking may be heard and acted upon.

For all Christians whose love for God and neighbor has grown lukewarm or has been compromised by serious sin, for all Christians develop missionary hearts.
That young people may seek Christ amidst all the perversions and distractions of the world, and for the protection of innocent human life from evil.
For the hungry, sick, lonely, and heartbroken, for cures to disease and relief for the poor, we pray to the Lord.
For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.
Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord.