Love Your Neighbor

Good morning, Five Minute Families. We hope you and yours have stayed safe in this blast of snowy weather so much of the US has experienced this past week. Valentine’s Day is coming up! Who has plans for a special dinner, a nice piece of jewelry, a lovingly handcrafted item, or an extraordinary adventure? Many folks take Valentine’s Day to the next level. In fact, we have a family member whose favorite day of the entire year is Valentine’s Day (let’s hope her husband never forgets that!). So, what is Valentine’s Day really about? Within the Catholic church, there are three Saint Valentine’s in history and their stories are each different. Yet, each contains elements of bravery and kindness. We know that in the 5th century the Pope declared February 14th as Saint Valentine’s Day. Likewise, this time of year has long been celebrated in cultures around the world as one of romance. Rituals and ceremonies accompanied some of those celebrations. By 1375, a written account of celebrating romantic love on February 14th appears in historical records. So, no, Valentine’s Day is not a holiday invented by the card companies, chocolatiers, and florists of the world to make more money off of you. Sorry, guys, you can’t use that excuse anymore! Whether you celebrate Valentine’s Day as a day of romantic love or a day to celebrate relationships in general, the point is that we all have an opportunity to show love to another. God is our first, best, and ultimate example of love. The love in EVERY relationship, if founded on the unconditional example of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for us, can be a wonderful, fulfilling love that brings peace, comfort, and compassion. Our local church had a wonderful idea for celebrating Valentine’s Day this year. Each person would bring in a non-perishable food item for the church to take over to a local food drive program. In exchange, the church member would receive a box of chocolates. The kicker though… those chocolates aren’t for the church member. They are for a neighbor of the church