Jesus’ essence, throughout his encounters, was to be consistently loving. He exemplifies this in Sunday’s Gospel. A leper comes to Jesus. Cradled in this man’s heart is his desire to be healed. Jesus, from a heart moved with compassion, fulfills his desire. The love rippled out. It was shared by the leper who was healed. It was shared by disciples and onlookers who witnessed it. Each in turn transformed the world through their own expressions of love and healing power.
Among those who endlessly shared Jesus’ loving way was Saint Valentine. Valentine’s story is a mix of myth, legend, and truth some of which may have actually happened. The myth comes from Lupercalia, an ancient Roman festival of mid-February honoring the god Faunus. Lupercalia celebrates spirits of fertility that are believed released and lovemaking abounds. Legend has it that during the reign of Emperor Claudius II Valentine was the name of at least one Christian who was martyred and whose feast day was placed to coincide with the ancient celebration of love. Valentine was killed because in the midst of persecution and hardship he had the courage to continue to share the love of Christ. What is true in Valentine’s story is that over centuries of time and multiple differences of culture courageous people, amidst persecution and hardship, have continued to share a loving way with others. This weekend Kayla Mueller is added to their number. A friend said of her: “Kayla was a remarkable individual. She brought a profound connection full of love to all of her relationships, whether it was to her family members, her closest friends, or refugees halfway across the world.”
Kayla was persecuted and murdered by a combination of militarists, ISIS and U.S. In a letter written during her captivity Kayla wrote: “(B)y God + by your prayers I have felt tenderly cradled in freefall. I have been shown in darkness, light + have learned that even in prison, one can be free. I am grateful. I have come to see that there is good in every situation, sometimes we just have to look for it. I pray each day that if nothing else, you have felt a certain closeness + surrender to God as well + have formed a bond of love + support amongst one another.”
Prayer: Dear Lovers, may each of us in this one human family deepen our expressions of love toward one another.
Question: What is the love I have shown during hardship?
February 15, 2015 Gospel Mk 1:40-45 Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time