Dear friends and members of University UMC:
Happy Valentine’s Day! I pray wherever and however you find yourself this day, you know yourself to be loved beyond measure.
Valentine’s Day is complicated. On the one hand - what’s not to like about a holiday that’s all about love? On the other hand, many people either feel the loss of love, the difficulty of loving, or struggle to believe they themselves are truly loveable. I remember years ago enjoying the late John Aielli’s “Anti-Valentine’s Day” radio show on KUTX’s Eklektikos. And admittedly one of my favorite parts of the Valentine's Day holiday is the day just after - February 15 when all the good candy is on sale! On a serious note, I recently visited with a colleague whose spouse died a few years ago. This year Valentine’s Day is heavy with grief for her. And earlier this week I spent time with a friend who has a deep faith and trust in Jesus but still doubts his self-worth. As we visited we shared our love and despair for the world, marveling that both could be true. If Valentine’s Day is complicated, love is even more so. Below I’m including a couple of my favorite contemporary writings on love. “A Valentine’s Day Blessing (When It’s Complicated)” by Kate Bowler and “Blessing for the Brokenhearted” by Jan Richardson.
The history of Valentine’s Day is not all that clear. In the Roman Catholic tradition, there are at least two different saints and martyrs named Valentine or Valentinus. While legends of their letter writing to those imprisoned hold some truth, there is much that remains unknown. But there is also much that we do know. We know that God is love. God loves us. God calls us to love one another and all of creation. God calls us to even love ourselves.
Sunday’s worship service led by our Queer Council was a beautiful celebration of love. If you weren’t able to attend worship on February 9 for Reconciling Ministries Network Sunday, I encourage you to view the service on our YouTube channel. I’m placing below the link to the special music that day, Craig Hella Johnson’s “All of Us.” This week I attended a continuing education event on coaching. I was there by invitation of the bishop and at this training, leaders told us over and over again, “You are enough. You are beloved.” It reminded me of a mentor years ago who told me, “Teresa, adequate is a grace-filled word.” At first glance “adequate” doesn’t seem to be a kind word to me. I want to be more than adequate! But adequate is about grace. It is about love. It is about slowing down long enough to notice that the God of all creation is with you and that just to be alive on this new day is a sacred gift.
