Dear Parishioners:
Cold, chilly greetings on Super Bowl Sunday! I am hoping that it will finally warm up; I can’t recall it being this cold for such a long time. It is a big change from the warmer winters we have had in the recent past few years.
As you also know, this coming Friday is Valentine’s Day (men: don’t forget!!). In addition to the United States, Valentine’s Day is celebrated in other countries around the globe, though not everywhere.
In Great Britain, Valentine’s Day began to be popularly celebrated around the 17th century. In Germany, Valentine’s Day only took place after WWII. Since then, Germans have put their own spin on the day. One is by incorporating pigs, which are a symbol of luck in Germany, into Valentine’s gifts. Germans also give out large heart-shaped gingerbread cookies, known as lebkuchen, for Valentine’s Day.
In Central America, February 14th is also for friends, not just lovers, including Ecuador, El Salvador, and Mexico. Known as El Día del Amor y Amistad (Day of Love and Friendship), it’s meant to recognize and honor friendship. In El Salvador, people draw names and exchange gifts in a tradition known as Amigo Secreto (Secret Friend) on that day.
In Japan, women traditionally offer Valentine’s chocolates to men. One origin story for this is a chocolate manufacturer’s 1958 suggestion that women use Valentine’s chocolates to confess romantic feelings. Japanese department stores promoted the practice in the 1970s. However, Japanese women do not need to despair. They have their own day to receive presents from the men in their lives when White Day arrives on March 14th.
However, while Valentine’s Day gets much attention, I suggest that all of us could practice simple “tender mercies” each and every day. It is the small, everyday acts of kindness that truly deepen our love for one another. We live in a world that often focuses on grand gestures, but I believe that consistent, simple acts of care and love are far more meaningful.
Remember: Together, we can do something beautiful for God.
In Christ,
Fr. Brian