Madre Immacolata,
in questo luogo di grazia,
convocati dall’amore del Figlio tuo Gesù,
Sommo ed Eterno Sacerdote, noi,
figli nel Figlio e suoi sacerdoti,
ci consacriamo al tuo Cuore materno,
per compiere con fedeltà la Volontà del Padre.
Siamo consapevoli che, senza Gesù,
non possiamo fare nulla di buono
e che, solo per Lui, con Lui ed in Lui,
saremo per il mondo
strumenti di salvezza.
Sposa dello Spirito Santo,
ottienici l’inestimabile dono
della trasformazione in Cristo.
Per la stessa potenza dello Spirito che,
estendendo su di Te la sua ombra,
ti rese Madre del Salvatore,
aiutaci affinché Cristo, tuo Figlio,
nasca anche in noi.
Possa così la Chiesa
essere rinnovata da santi sacerdoti,
trasfigurati dalla grazia di Colui
che fa nuove tutte le cose.
Madre di Misericordia,
è stato il tuo Figlio Gesù che ci ha chiamati
a diventare come Lui:
luce del mondo e sale della terra.
Aiutaci,
Samo Faustina Padre PIO, Saint PIO, pray for us, amenToday isn’t a day that is celebrated just by Catholics. Much of the world joins in on this festival of love named for St. Valentine. Why would the Church name a priest, who lived approximately 250 years after Jesus, the patron saint of love and happy marriages?
St. Valentine lived in Rome during the reign of Emperor Claudius, who was committed to rebuilding the once-great Roman army. However, he believed it was important for men to volunteer for armed service, rather than drafting men into service against their will. But, given a choice, most young men in the Roman Empire refused to serve. They’d rather stay at home with their wives and children than go off into battle. Claudius came to believe that only single men would volunteer for service, so he issued a royal edict that banned all further marriages. He actually outlawed weddings in the Roman Empire, earning himself the nickname, Claudius the Cruel. After Emperor Claudius passed his law, St. Valentine secretly continued performing marriage ceremonies. He would whisper the words of the ceremony, while listening for soldiers on the steps outside.
One night, St. Valentine did hear footsteps at his door. The couple he was marrying escaped, but he was caught. He was thrown in jail and sentenced to death. One day, he received a visit from the daughter of one of the prison guards. Her father allowed her to visit him in his cell and they often sat and talked for hours. She believed he did the right thing by ignoring the Emperor and performing weddings. On the day St. Valentine was to die, he left her a note thanking her for her friendship and loyalty. He signed it, “Love from your Valentine.” That note started the custom of exchanging love notes on Valentine’s Day. It was written on the day he died, February 14, 269 A.D.—the day that was set aside in honor of a man who gave his life for God and for love.
Everyone loves love! We want to be loved and we want to give love. The problem is—our love is lacking just like we are. It’s often conditional upon our own mood or our loved one’s actions, appearance or attitude. How do we develop and nurture a love worth giving on Valentine’s Day and every day? The answer is found in John 15:9-17:
“As the Father hath loved Me, I also have loved you. Abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you shall abide in My love; as I also have kept My Father's commandments, and do abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and your joy may be filled. This is My commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love than this no man hath, that a man lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends, if you do the things that I command you. I will not now call you servants: for the servant knoweth not what his lord doth. But I have called you friends: because all things whatsoever I have heard of My Father, I have made known to you. You have not chosen Me: but I have chosen you; and have appointed you, that you should go, and should bring forth fruit; and your fruit should remain: that whatsoever you shall ask of the Father in My Name, He may give it you. These things I command you, that you love one another.”
Jesus had a lot to say about love, and His final night with His followers was no exception. During the course of the evening, which began in John 13 and carries on through chapter 17, Jesus uses the L-word no less than thirty times in eighteen different verses.
Receiving the love of Jesus and living in His love every day, is the first and most essential step in having a love worth giving. Jesus states: “I am the vine: you the branches: he that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit: for without Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5 DRA). As we draw closer to Christ and stay connected to Him, He funnels His love into our hearts; only then will we have a love worth giving, because His love is the only perfect, pure love this world has to offer. His love is characterized by sacrifice: “Greater love than this no man hath, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” Accept the wonderful, undeniable truth that Jesus loves you. Draw close to Him, allow Him to pour His love into your heart.
Jesus said that greatest command is this: “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind, and with thy whole strength. This is the first commandment.” (Mark 12:30 DRA). Our love for God must be the driving force of our lives. If everything we do isn’t spurred by our deep love for God, then nothing we do really matters.
Jesus was very specific about how we should love people. He said, “This is My commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you.” (John 15:12 DRA). This commandment knocks down the walls of any definition that would limit the scope and intensity of love. We are to love as He loved.
Just hours before issuing this comprehensive command, Jesus demonstrated it. The spring showers would have most likely turned the Palestinian dirt into thick sludge, possibly several inches deep. The country roads and even the city streets would have been caked in mud—mud which would have oozed into the open toed sandals of the disciples. It was customary for a servant to use a basin of water and a clean towel to wash their dirty feet before sitting down to dinner. As the disciples reached the upper room, they probably spotted the towel and water basin easily enough, but there were apparently no servants around. So while the rest of them gathered around the table, tracking mud through the house, Jesus prepared to do something wonderful.
“And layeth aside His garments, and having taken a towel, girded Himself. After that, He putteth water into a basin, and began to wash the feet of the disciples, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith He was girded.” (John 13:4-5 DRA). Jesus Christ—the Son of the living God, the Alpha and Omega—got on His knees and washed filthy Palestinian feet. It is amazing to realize that this was a demonstration not only of humility and service, but unrelenting love!
As we seek to grow in our capacity to love—to have a love truly worth giving—let’s continue to look to Jesus and learn to love like Him. May you have a happy and blessed Valentine’s Day!
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