ON THE COINCIDENCE OF ASH WEDNESDAY AND VALENTINE’S DAY
PREAMBLE
One of the unique features of this year’s Lent is that it’s first day, Ash Wednesday, coincides with Valentine’s Day. And this has aroused some mixed feelings in many quarters, perhaps, rightly so. The last time such occurred was in 1945 – towards the end of the Second World War. If the words of Psalm 90:9 that “Seventy years is our age and eighty for those who are strong”, are anything to go by, then, it is already a life-time from 1945 to 2018; meaning that most of those reading this post (including the author) have not experienced such a coincidence before. It thus accords us some special opportunity to give our thoughts and drop some special post on social media for the occasion, as we shall soon identify with the reality in less than a week’s time.
WHO IS SAINT VALENTINE?
Though the details when it comes to St Valentine are sketchy, we know that he was a saintly Catholic priest of the third century who died in 269/270A.D and his memorial commemoration is celebrated on February 14. It is said that the then pagan Roman Emperor Claudius II banned marriage among his soldiers, believing that married men make bad soldiers; and he extended this ban even beyond the military so as to recruit more into the military. This, for Valentine, was seen to be very unfair, denying people unjustly of a fundamental human right. So, he arranged marriages for them in secret. When the Emperor found out this, Valentine was imprisoned and sentenced to death. He however continued his ministry of love in prison, reaching out to people in kindness and preaching about the greatest love shown us in Christ. There in the prison, he befriended his Jailer, Asterious, who was impressed by Valentine’s wisdom and kindness; the latter then asked Valentine to help his blind daughter, Julia, with her lessons. In the course of time, they both fell in love; and when he was to be executed on February 14, he sent her a love letter signed “from your Valentine” (cf. Udo Iwuji. Love in the Heart: 2018, pp. 8-9).
There is another tradition about an ancient Roman festival of fertility commemorated on February 15. On this day, boys and young men would draw out the names of girls from a box that they would partner during the festival. This later often led to their courting and getting married to each other. In the fifth century, Pope Gelasius recast this pagan festival as a Christian feast day around the year 496 A.D to be Saint Valentine’s feast day. With sentiments from combination of such traditions, the name of Valentine has been used to express feelings of courtly love. And since love is not an exclusive Christian value but cuts across all humans irrespective of religion, culture and social status, it is no surprise that the celebration of love with which St. Valentine is associated goes beyond the confines of the Church and becomes a universal celebration of love. Unfortunately, of late and in many quarters, the celebration has taken the form of reckless expression of lust and promiscuous activities.
THE (UN)HAPPY COINCIDENCE OF ASH WEDNESDAY AND VALENTINE’S DAY
One thing we must get uncompromisingly is that just as Christmas whose celebration has also taken on a quasi-universal character, Valentine Celebration on February 14 is a Church celebration with a Church root, being the memorial celebration of a saintly priest who was particularly associated with love both in affection and acts of kindness and generosity. And now that this Church celebration (Valentine’s Day) coincides with another Church celebration (Ash Wednesday), what happens? Is there any special message for us implicitly or explicitly? Let us look into the tradition and practices of the Church for inspiration.
FROM THE TRADITION OF THE CHURCH
The word "TRADITION" is pregnant with meanings; it derives from the Latin "traditio" which corresponds to the Greek “paradosis”, both meaning "transmission". It thus refers to the (process of) transmission in the Church of: faith, beliefs, doctrines, practices, rituals (rites) and entities, e.g scriptures and other documents, as well as (the content of) what is been transmitted concerning the saving mysteries of Christ - his life, death, resurrection, Ascension and post resurrection events (1 Cor. 15:3-8). Tradition is the living and lived faith of the Church, “through which the Church in her doctrine, life and worship perpetuates and transmits to every generation all that she herself is, all that she believes” (cf. Vatican Council II. Dei Verbum: n. 8).
For St Paul of 2Timothy, it is the true doctrine, the saving faith in Christ and norm of behavior, which must be firmly held unto through the power of the Holy Spirit (1:13-14). For St Luke of the Gospel, it is the events that "have taken place among us" which have been proclaimed, and about which many have written (Luke 1:1-2); and for St Luke of the Acts of the Apostles, it is "the things that Jesus did and taught from the time he began his work until the day he was taken up to heaven” (Acts 1;1-3). For St John, tradition is “the things Jesus did”, some written and some unwritten, (John 20:30, John 21:25). In simple terms, therefore, tradition is the Word of God or Divine Revelation taught by Christ and handed on to us by the Apostles and their successors by means of writing, teaching, preaching and other means (2 Thess. 2:2-15).
Having said this, we distinguish between various forms or senses of TRADITION. "Tradition (with capital T) is the living and lived faith of the church, the “essentials”, the unchanging and the universals in Church's teaching, worship and practices which flow from the Scripture and which in turn elucidate and clarify Divine Revelation. For instance, the Scriptures, the Eucharist, the Mass, the Sacraments, the dogmas of Faith, etc. On the other hand, "traditions" (with small letter t and in plural) refers to the changeable customs, teachings, institutions, disciplines and practices of the Church (local or universal) over time. On both, the Catechism of the Catholic Church comments:
These are the particular forms adapted to different places and times in which the great Tradition is expressed. In the light of ‘Tradition’, these ‘traditions’ can be retained, modified or even abandoned under the guidance of the Church's "Magisterium" (C.C.C. no 83).
Now, with regard to Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day, one belongs to the “Tradition” of the Church (Ash Wednesday) and the other (Valentine’s Day) belongs to the “traditions”. While Ash Wednesday celebration belongs to the saving mysteries of salvation, the beginning of the forty days of Lent when we go into the desert with Christ, Valentine Day celebration is only a commemoration of a saintly figure and what he represents just as we have the celebration of many other saints in the Church. Following the Catechism above then, “In the light of Tradition (Ash Wednesday), this tradition (Valentine’s Day) can rightly be retained, modified or even abandoned for this year 2018” considering that it coincides with Ash Wednesday – a bigger and more important celebration.
(REV. FR. DAVID-MARY ODUNSI is a Priest of the Catholic Diocese of Ijebu-Ode, Nigeria)
PREAMBLE
One of the unique features of this year’s Lent is that it’s first day, Ash Wednesday, coincides with Valentine’s Day. And this has aroused some mixed feelings in many quarters, perhaps, rightly so. The last time such occurred was in 1945 – towards the end of the Second World War. If the words of Psalm 90:9 that “Seventy years is our age and eighty for those who are strong”, are anything to go by, then, it is already a life-time from 1945 to 2018; meaning that most of those reading this post (including the author) have not experienced such a coincidence before. It thus accords us some special opportunity to give our thoughts and drop some special post on social media for the occasion, as we shall soon identify with the reality in less than a week’s time.
WHO IS SAINT VALENTINE?
Though the details when it comes to St Valentine are sketchy, we know that he was a saintly Catholic priest of the third century who died in 269/270A.D and his memorial commemoration is celebrated on February 14. It is said that the then pagan Roman Emperor Claudius II banned marriage among his soldiers, believing that married men make bad soldiers; and he extended this ban even beyond the military so as to recruit more into the military. This, for Valentine, was seen to be very unfair, denying people unjustly of a fundamental human right. So, he arranged marriages for them in secret. When the Emperor found out this, Valentine was imprisoned and sentenced to death. He however continued his ministry of love in prison, reaching out to people in kindness and preaching about the greatest love shown us in Christ. There in the prison, he befriended his Jailer, Asterious, who was impressed by Valentine’s wisdom and kindness; the latter then asked Valentine to help his blind daughter, Julia, with her lessons. In the course of time, they both fell in love; and when he was to be executed on February 14, he sent her a love letter signed “from your Valentine” (cf. Udo Iwuji. Love in the Heart: 2018, pp. 8-9).
There is another tradition about an ancient Roman festival of fertility commemorated on February 15. On this day, boys and young men would draw out the names of girls from a box that they would partner during the festival. This later often led to their courting and getting married to each other. In the fifth century, Pope Gelasius recast this pagan festival as a Christian feast day around the year 496 A.D to be Saint Valentine’s feast day. With sentiments from combination of such traditions, the name of Valentine has been used to express feelings of courtly love. And since love is not an exclusive Christian value but cuts across all humans irrespective of religion, culture and social status, it is no surprise that the celebration of love with which St. Valentine is associated goes beyond the confines of the Church and becomes a universal celebration of love. Unfortunately, of late and in many quarters, the celebration has taken the form of reckless expression of lust and promiscuous activities.
THE (UN)HAPPY COINCIDENCE OF ASH WEDNESDAY AND VALENTINE’S DAY
One thing we must get uncompromisingly is that just as Christmas whose celebration has also taken on a quasi-universal character, Valentine Celebration on February 14 is a Church celebration with a Church root, being the memorial celebration of a saintly priest who was particularly associated with love both in affection and acts of kindness and generosity. And now that this Church celebration (Valentine’s Day) coincides with another Church celebration (Ash Wednesday), what happens? Is there any special message for us implicitly or explicitly? Let us look into the tradition and practices of the Church for inspiration.
FROM THE TRADITION OF THE CHURCH
The word "TRADITION" is pregnant with meanings; it derives from the Latin "traditio" which corresponds to the Greek “paradosis”, both meaning "transmission". It thus refers to the (process of) transmission in the Church of: faith, beliefs, doctrines, practices, rituals (rites) and entities, e.g scriptures and other documents, as well as (the content of) what is been transmitted concerning the saving mysteries of Christ - his life, death, resurrection, Ascension and post resurrection events (1 Cor. 15:3-8). Tradition is the living and lived faith of the Church, “through which the Church in her doctrine, life and worship perpetuates and transmits to every generation all that she herself is, all that she believes” (cf. Vatican Council II. Dei Verbum: n. 8).
For St Paul of 2Timothy, it is the true doctrine, the saving faith in Christ and norm of behavior, which must be firmly held unto through the power of the Holy Spirit (1:13-14). For St Luke of the Gospel, it is the events that "have taken place among us" which have been proclaimed, and about which many have written (Luke 1:1-2); and for St Luke of the Acts of the Apostles, it is "the things that Jesus did and taught from the time he began his work until the day he was taken up to heaven” (Acts 1;1-3). For St John, tradition is “the things Jesus did”, some written and some unwritten, (John 20:30, John 21:25). In simple terms, therefore, tradition is the Word of God or Divine Revelation taught by Christ and handed on to us by the Apostles and their successors by means of writing, teaching, preaching and other means (2 Thess. 2:2-15).
Having said this, we distinguish between various forms or senses of TRADITION. "Tradition (with capital T) is the living and lived faith of the church, the “essentials”, the unchanging and the universals in Church's teaching, worship and practices which flow from the Scripture and which in turn elucidate and clarify Divine Revelation. For instance, the Scriptures, the Eucharist, the Mass, the Sacraments, the dogmas of Faith, etc. On the other hand, "traditions" (with small letter t and in plural) refers to the changeable customs, teachings, institutions, disciplines and practices of the Church (local or universal) over time. On both, the Catechism of the Catholic Church comments:
These are the particular forms adapted to different places and times in which the great Tradition is expressed. In the light of ‘Tradition’, these ‘traditions’ can be retained, modified or even abandoned under the guidance of the Church's "Magisterium" (C.C.C. no 83).
Now, with regard to Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day, one belongs to the “Tradition” of the Church (Ash Wednesday) and the other (Valentine’s Day) belongs to the “traditions”. While Ash Wednesday celebration belongs to the saving mysteries of salvation, the beginning of the forty days of Lent when we go into the desert with Christ, Valentine Day celebration is only a commemoration of a saintly figure and what he represents just as we have the celebration of many other saints in the Church. Following the Catechism above then, “In the light of Tradition (Ash Wednesday), this tradition (Valentine’s Day) can rightly be retained, modified or even abandoned for this year 2018” considering that it coincides with Ash Wednesday – a bigger and more important celebration.
(REV. FR. DAVID-MARY ODUNSI is a Priest of the Catholic Diocese of Ijebu-Ode, Nigeria)
Comments
Post a Comment