Love Standing Firm

The example of Valentine of Rome

Today is Valentine’s Day. Like every holiday with Christian roots, the popular social understandings are a far cry from the celebration of the actual saint or event. Saints are chosen because of the likeness to Christ. We’ll explore that a bit in today’s reflection, a one day break from our regular journey through John.

In John 10, we read of Jesus speaking boldly about his identity as the good shepherd, the one who lays down his life for the sheep. His words stir division—some believe, others pick up stones to kill him. Yet, he does not back down. He stands firm in truth, knowing that love is costly.

The story of Valentine of Rome is one of courage in the face of pressure from the authority of power. In a time of persecution, he defied imperial orders, performing Christian marriages and offering compassion to those in need. Tradition holds that he healed a blind girl, much like Jesus restored sight to the blind. And when threatened with death, he did not waver. His love was not mere sentiment but a conviction that love—true, sacrificial love—was worth everything.

The world often distorts love, reducing it to romance or fleeting emotion. But Jesus shows us love that is steadfast, self-giving, and unshaken by fear. Whether standing before Roman authorities, religious leaders, or the pressures of culture today, Christ’s love calls us to remain faithful. The love between two people who are in a relationship or married can reflect sacrifice (and should!). But for Christians, it should not be limited to such a relationship. Jesus makes this very, very clear (so do Paul and John and Peter in their writings).

In a world that values power, dominance, and self-preservation, the way of Jesus—and the subsequent way of Valentine—remains countercultural. Love is not a feeling. It is choice - a way of life, a costly devotion, a trust that even when the world turns against us, the Shepherd’s voice still calls us forward.

John 10:27-28

My sheep listen to my voice. I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life. They will never die, and no one will snatch them from my hand.

Psalm 27:1

The Lord is my light and my salvation. Should I fear anyone? The Lord is a fortress protecting my life. Should I be frightened of anything?

Prayer

God,

You have called us to love as you love—to give without expecting, to serve without seeking gain, and to trust in your goodness even when the world turns against us.

As we remember your servant Valentine, who remained faithful to you in the face of opposition, strengthen us to love with courage. May we love not only in words, but in truth and action. Let our love extend beyond sentiment to sacrifice, beyond feeling to faithfulness.

In a world where love is often distorted, remind us that true love is found in your Son, Jesus Christ. Teach us to love our neighbors as ourselves, to seek justice for the oppressed, to welcome the stranger, and to extend mercy even to those who oppose us.

May we stand firm in faith as Valentine did, knowing that love is not always easy, but it is always worth it. And as Christ laid down his life for us, may we also walk in the way of self-giving love, bringing light where there is darkness and peace where there is division.

By your Spirit and in the name of Jesus, we pray.
Amen.