6 th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) 14 February 2010

A happy St. Valentine’s Day! There are varying opinions about the origins of this Saint and there seems to have been a number of Valentines. One tradition is that he was martyred on 14 February, 269. It is said that while a prisoner, the jailer’s daughter was kind and helpful to him. Before his death he left her a note of thanks and signed it, “From your Valentine”. In the Carmelite church in Dublin there is a magnificent shrine to St Valentine where his remains are said to be entombed.

Apart from any commercial aspect, there is a spiritual side to this message of love. I often think of the words of another saint who said, “You have made us for yourself , O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” ( St Augustine). It is good to remember that God has made our human hearts. We will be happy only when we are filled by God, who is love.

The second reading today tells us, “If our hope in Christ has been for this life only we are the most unfortunate of all people.” ( St Paul, I Cor: 15:19) In the first reading Jeremiah tells us, “A curse on the man who puts his trust in man, who relies on the things of flesh.” (Jer: 17:5) It is true that we live on this earth and must make our way through life. But imagine a life without love. What would we have?

The only thing that brings happiness is to love and to be loved. Today the emphasis may be on romantic love as cards and gifts for Valentine’s Day suggest. That is part of life also. Part of loving another person is the courage to sacrifice ourselves for someone else. You and I have seen such great love.

Many years ago my cousin’s baby was born with serious health issues. For the first six months of his life, that lovely little baby never left hospital. Every night his mother and father sat at his bedside just to be there. One of them stayed each night in the hospital while the other went home to sleep. That little boy recently celebrated his 21 st birthday and is doing fine. I believe that the goodness of God, the amazing skill of the medical team and the love of his parents saw him through the long months of crises. You have your own examples of self-sacrificing love to inspire you.

Maybe these thoughts on the deep meaning of love help us to appreciate what Jesus is saying today. He gives us four blessings and four woes. God never puts misfortune on us but when it comes He gives us the love and the strength to come through it.

It is not good to be poor but if we are, God has a special place for us – He looks out for us. It is no fun being hungry, but God will see to it that our hunger will be satisfied. There are people today who are weeping because of some great loss or sorrow. It is not a good feeling, in fact it is awful. But Jesus says we will be comforted and one day we can smile again. Sometimes we are unfairly criticised or even hated and there is nothing that can be done to have our good name restored. That too is deeply hurtful and distressing. But, as the prophets were treated in the same way, so will our truth and goodness be revealed for all eternity in the Kingdom of Heaven. That matters more than a short time of passing glory on this earth.

Back to St Valentine before I finish – when you love and are loved, you are the richest person on earth. More than that, love is the ‘oxygen’ of time and eternity. The faltering ways in which we have tried to love on this earth will be lifted to new heights in Heaven. Then it will be clear that love is the greatest gift you can give or receive. It is God’s gift.

Aidan Troy, C.P. [Aodhán ó Troighthigh, C.P.]