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Writer's Block: Valentine's Day
Feb. 14th, 2012 03:51 pm[Error: unknown template qotd]
I think I wrote about this last year, but why does it have to be one or the other? Why do we have to attach such strong emotions to the present interpretation of the day instead of reinterpreting it for the better? While the historicity of the whole Valentine's Day story has been cast into question, I don't think there's anything wrong with dedicating a day to the idea of love. Unfortunately, it's been co-opted by couples and Hallmark, who convince you that 1.) you don't really love your partner if you don't buy them a $70 bouquet of flowers and a box of Belgian chocolate and 2.) that if you don't have anybody to buy said flowers and chocolate for you you are worthless (neither of which are true). Human beings were created, I believe, for relationship--not necessarily romantic!--but for caring, kindness, and community nonetheless. Romantic relationships are a part of that, and there's nothing wrong with celebrating them, from the fledgling hopeful relationship (teehee) to the deep devotion of a couple married for 50 years; however, it's important to remember that that's only one type of relationship. I like to think of Valentine's Day as an opportunity to spread love of all kinds into the world.
1 Corinthians 13 says "If I speak in tongues of men and angels but have not love, I am but a clanging gong or a resounding cymbal. If I have gifts of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries but have not love, I am nothing." And then it goes on to describe love. Patient, kind, it does not keep a record of wrongs, it never fails, always hopes, always forgives. Essentially, Paul says that if in a community you don't have this never failing, hopeful, forgiving, kind, patient selfless thing, you are like the sound of metal clanging noisily together; you are obnoxious, dissonant, useless. How can Paul say this? After all, lots of people go through their lives not feeling loved by friends or families, never finding a spouse/partner, essentially isolated. Is Paul saying that if you haven't gained love, all your other accomplishments are useless? To quote Paul elsewhere: "By no means!" For Paul, for Christ, for humans, love or agape isn't something intended just for receiving. We receive it abundantly from God, and sometimes more stingily so from friends, family, colleagues, etc. No, what Paul is saying is that if you can preach, if you can heal, if you can sing, if you can write, if you can craft, if you can build, unless you can care deeply for others, all those things mean nothing. After all, words are forgotten, art and music are lost, buildings collapse and decay; but love remains.
So what do I think about Valentine's Day? I think we need to have Valentine's Day every day. Whether that's appreciating a lover, a best friend, a child, a pet, a stranger, or even an enemy, every day should compel us to pour out love on the world. We were gifted life in love, so what's the point of holding it in? Love isn't something that we receive which we then put in a closet and forget about (unlike that ugly sweater your husband gave you last V-day). Love rots if you put it away. It becomes obsession, resentment, or lust. But when you set it in your window sill, when your neighbors walk by and see it, when your family gets to enjoy it, then a funny thing happens: it blooms. It grows and grows like ivy, cascading down the window, down your house, into the streets, into the world where somebody else can pick it up and put it in their window to share. And that's what love is for. God so loved the world that God sent love embodied into the world, and that love spilled out onto you in the form of grace, and now you have the opportunity to give a lovely bouquet of agape to somebody else; and you should. You should do it every day, not just February 14th.
Holy cow, that turned into a sermon. Guess what my profession is! Ha ha! <3
I think I wrote about this last year, but why does it have to be one or the other? Why do we have to attach such strong emotions to the present interpretation of the day instead of reinterpreting it for the better? While the historicity of the whole Valentine's Day story has been cast into question, I don't think there's anything wrong with dedicating a day to the idea of love. Unfortunately, it's been co-opted by couples and Hallmark, who convince you that 1.) you don't really love your partner if you don't buy them a $70 bouquet of flowers and a box of Belgian chocolate and 2.) that if you don't have anybody to buy said flowers and chocolate for you you are worthless (neither of which are true). Human beings were created, I believe, for relationship--not necessarily romantic!--but for caring, kindness, and community nonetheless. Romantic relationships are a part of that, and there's nothing wrong with celebrating them, from the fledgling hopeful relationship (teehee) to the deep devotion of a couple married for 50 years; however, it's important to remember that that's only one type of relationship. I like to think of Valentine's Day as an opportunity to spread love of all kinds into the world.
1 Corinthians 13 says "If I speak in tongues of men and angels but have not love, I am but a clanging gong or a resounding cymbal. If I have gifts of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries but have not love, I am nothing." And then it goes on to describe love. Patient, kind, it does not keep a record of wrongs, it never fails, always hopes, always forgives. Essentially, Paul says that if in a community you don't have this never failing, hopeful, forgiving, kind, patient selfless thing, you are like the sound of metal clanging noisily together; you are obnoxious, dissonant, useless. How can Paul say this? After all, lots of people go through their lives not feeling loved by friends or families, never finding a spouse/partner, essentially isolated. Is Paul saying that if you haven't gained love, all your other accomplishments are useless? To quote Paul elsewhere: "By no means!" For Paul, for Christ, for humans, love or agape isn't something intended just for receiving. We receive it abundantly from God, and sometimes more stingily so from friends, family, colleagues, etc. No, what Paul is saying is that if you can preach, if you can heal, if you can sing, if you can write, if you can craft, if you can build, unless you can care deeply for others, all those things mean nothing. After all, words are forgotten, art and music are lost, buildings collapse and decay; but love remains.
So what do I think about Valentine's Day? I think we need to have Valentine's Day every day. Whether that's appreciating a lover, a best friend, a child, a pet, a stranger, or even an enemy, every day should compel us to pour out love on the world. We were gifted life in love, so what's the point of holding it in? Love isn't something that we receive which we then put in a closet and forget about (unlike that ugly sweater your husband gave you last V-day). Love rots if you put it away. It becomes obsession, resentment, or lust. But when you set it in your window sill, when your neighbors walk by and see it, when your family gets to enjoy it, then a funny thing happens: it blooms. It grows and grows like ivy, cascading down the window, down your house, into the streets, into the world where somebody else can pick it up and put it in their window to share. And that's what love is for. God so loved the world that God sent love embodied into the world, and that love spilled out onto you in the form of grace, and now you have the opportunity to give a lovely bouquet of agape to somebody else; and you should. You should do it every day, not just February 14th.
Holy cow, that turned into a sermon. Guess what my profession is! Ha ha! <3
