As an aside, I have been researching an article for
Valentine’s Day about how to celebrate it in the most creative ways without
breaking the bank. What I have discovered is that 90% of the people out there
are either traditional, buy a rose or a box of chocolate type people; or they
are the “scrooge” of Valentine’s Day.
In the Ancient Greek language there were different words for
different types of love. First off there was Storge, which simply means
affection. Then comes Philia, which is an affection type love, like friendship.
Then we have Agape, which might be seen as “true love” or deep love, or
sacrificial love… some sort of love that risks everything. Finally, there is
Eros, which is passion, plain and simple. The modern word “erotic” comes from
this Greek word.
Now, you might be saying, “so what” by this point. But I
maintain that the English language causes us problems because it has so few
words. Course and barbaric as it is, we only have the word, “Love” which is
supposed to mean everything from how I feel about Roast Beef right through my
bond with my children, and on to the person I share a romantic Valentine’s
Dinner with.
Clearly, those are all different feelings. That is where,
perhaps, we get confused. Valentine’s Day is a celebration of and for Eros;
plain and simple.
The day actually is a religious holiday, one of the many
“Saint Days” of the original church declared to honour Valentine, or Valentinus
in Latin, who was martyred in Rome. The problem is that there were actually 14 Bishop
Valentinus (Valentinii?) martyred, it is a popular name meaning strong or
powerful.
Then the story took on a bit of a romantic twist…
Although this is not actually what historically happened, and
there seems to be no such law on the books, legend said that under Emperor
Claudius II there was a law that all young men should remain single, probably
so they could easily be drafted into the Legion. Valentine then supposedly
acted as a go between, carrying love notes in secret, and even performing secret
weddings. And because of this he was killed.
Thus on his feast day we trade love notes and celebrate
romance.
So back to my opening point; as I have been asking the
question, what do you do for Valentine’s Day most people tell me they buy
chocolates or go out to a restaurant. Neither of which is very special in our
day and age, and both of which are celebrating Agape, not Eros.
I mean, if this Valentine guy was willing to go to the grave
in order to preserve our right to be romantic, shouldn’t we? If Jesus came that
we might have full and abundant life? Shouldn’t we?
Religion at its core is about how we are as people. It is
saying that we were created to be fully in tune with our selves, our world and
each other. Christianity is a religion that puts love at the centre of all we
do; so does Judaism and Islam and they do not just mean this agape type of deep
love.
Some of the greatest erotic love poetry is actually found in
the Bible, in Song of Solomon, which begins with these lines: “Kiss me, make me
drunk with your kisses! Your sweet loving is better than wine.” And only gets
racier from there.
My point is this, if we are creations of God, and if we are
to live life to its fullest as Jesus suggests, then that means loving to its
fullest as well. Do not let another Valentine’s Day go by without embracing
some passion for those you love. Many have lived loved and lost so that we
could be free to take one day of the year and show our love in an over the top
way.
Not doing so would be a sin.
