Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
With February comes a season of love. A season where everything is adorned in shades of red and pink and covered with hearts and roses. Halfway through the month this season reaches its zenith, its pinnacle, its peak on February 14th, on Valentine’s Day. It’s the day to give a gift to your husband or wife, your fiancé or fiancée, your boyfriend or girlfriend. It’s the day to shower love on them and serve them, to honor them, to cherish them. So, if it has slipped your mind, consider this a good reminder!
While Valentine’s Day, along with anniversaries and birthdays, are amazing opportunities to show love to others, we are called to love on more than just a few particular days. If anything, our love should be clear to see every day, and abundantly loud and clear on days like Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, or birthdays.
Love is displayed in action. To love is to do. Unlike many ideas of love as some sort of romantic feeling, or inward passion, true love shows itself in outward action. The ultimate example is Jesus Christ. When he feels compassion towards the other, it spurns him to action. When he sees the hungry crowd of 5000, he feeds them out of love. When he sees the crowd of sinners, Jesus is driven by passion to the cross. The love of Jesus is every action that he does and continues to do.
So, if you’re feeling lovey-dovey this Valentine’s Day (even if you’re not!) DO SOMETHING! And don’t let it stop. As we continue past Valentine’s Day, past birthdays or anniversaries, don’t stop doing. Love is a lifelong calling. And it doesn’t mean grand, sweep me off my feet gestures every day. But it is also the simple, humble work. Holding back a snide comment that comes to mind. Asking about the other’s day and feelings, instead of turning to our own. Bearing with another’s sins against us patiently. Addressing problems and seeking peaceful resolution, not to throw them in the other’s face.
And it’s not just for a spouse, fiancé or fiancée, girlfriend or boyfriend. It is for each person you come across. Coworkers. Other members at church. Sibling, parents, children, and grandchildren. People you run into at Hy-Vee or the Hawkeyes game. Our lifelong calling of love extends to them.
If this begins to feel overwhelming, remember this: “We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19). Our love comes from Christ’s love. It isn’t Cupid’s arrow or deep-seated emotion. But the constant love of Christ. So when we fail to love and even when we end up acting out in hatred, we have a loving God and Savior who will love others when we cannot and loves us when we are the most unlovable. Don’t worry, the love of Christ abounds.
Blessings,
Vicar Lewis