Valentine's Day is the day for sweethearts. That hearts are pure and kisses are exchanged between lovers, we know. But, where did it originate? In searching the Internet I found that the original Valentine was a Christian pastor who became a martyr and a saint. It was in the first century, during the reign of Emperor Claudius, that Valentine gave his life for his faith. Claudius, according to his own writings, liked to govern by making laws. By the time he died, Rome was governed by more than 21,000 laws! It was nearly impossible for a citizen to live totally within the law because there were so many of them. That is how Valentine lost his head; he was caught breaking a law. Claudius was proud of his military forces for they never lost a battle. Just the threat of an invasion by his troops could cause another country to submit to Rome without resistance. Claudius, thinking he might be able to improve the quality of his army even more if his soldiers were single men, sent forth a decree that it would be punishable by death if they married. That way their total devotion would be to the Emperor and not to a wife and children back home. Now it was common for Roman soldiers to serve for many years before a discharge could be obtained. Since most wanted to marry while they were young, they sought a pastor who would marry them secretly. The godly pastor Valentine volunteered and hundreds of couples were joined in wedlock before Claudius found out about it. Valentine was arrested and thrown into prison. During the weeks before his execution, the blind daughter of the jailer came to him each day with food. They fell in love. On the day he was beheaded, he sent her a note. I love you, it said, and it was signed, From your Valentine. It was Feb. 14. Valentine's Day was born........ It would be impossible to count the number of cards that will be mailed for Valentine's Day this year. Surely they number into the millions. All because one man sent his beloved a card the day he was martyred. Love is a powerful force in each of our lives, yet the words, "I love you," express it simply. Many years ago I read something in Ripley's Believe It Or Not column about the world's longest love letter, written by a love-sick Parisan to a very rich lady friend. He was the popular French painter, Leclure, who actually sent a letter with the words, "jevous aime" written 1,875,000 times to the love of his life, Magdalene. Apparently, by repeating "I Love You," over and over, he hoped to convince the lady he was sincere. I could not find out if she returned his love, but surely she did! There was a man living in the first century who, through repetition, taught his congregation to love one another: the aged Apostle John, Pastor of the Church at Ephesus. The writings he left behind are replete with the theme of Love. "Brethren, let us love one another for love is of God....and he who does not love does not know God, for God is love." he wrote. It is recorded that at age 100, he had to be carried to his church in the arms of his disciples. Week after week he preached the same sermon, "Little children, love one another!" After hearing the same message over and over, he was asked why he didn't change his sermon? "It is the Lord's command," he said, and kept right on preaching love........ Perhaps that is why the command "love one another" is written over and over again in the Scriptures: to keep before us the importance of showing God's love to others. The admonitions, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself," and Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart," were given to us thousands of years ago. What a difference it would make if we heeded those two commandments. Obeying them would bring us the peace and joy we all strive for but seem to miss too many times. Little children, love one another! Evelyn R. Smith ©2001 Bible Center Church Back To Main Page / Archive of Previous Articles