Ashes for Saint Valentine!

“Is this not the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke …” Isaiah 58

Valentine’s Day marks a day of love for many of us. It is an artificial holiday built upon the sales of sweets and greeting cards, but really, what holiday isn’t? There’s nothing wrong with love, cards, sweets, or flowers, so I won’t knock it.

It is somewhat ironic that Valentine’s Day this year coincides with Ash Wednesday which, for many Christians, marks the start of a forty day period of penitence and fasting. “Giving up chocolate” is often the go-to-token for lenten fasting or abstinence.

Not all Christians observe Lent, of course. In fact, one doesn’t even have to be a Christian to participate in Lent. Days and seasons are not copyrighted. Holidays and holy days are not licensed or trademarked. Days and seasons are simply part of life. 

To paraphrase Jesus, the sun rises and sets for both flat-earthers and astrophysicists. The rains fall on climate-change believers and deniers alike. It doesn’t matter who’s more likely to be right, or who’s more likely to be wrong. What matters is looking and listening to the world around us and asking, is there something I need to do?

Many years ago our tub began to drain quite slowly. I called in a plumber who snaked the drain and pulled out globs of hair. I looked in the mirror and knew I had not contributed to that problem – not in the least did I have any responsibility for that clog. Did I refuse to pay the plumber? No, of course not. It was a family issue, a family problem, and so I paid the plumber and thanked him for his time and expertise. 

Now, I knew in my heart of hearts that I was truly “holier than thou” in the situation, but the problem wasn’t just the hair. It was also the soap, shampoo, and conditioners that went down the drain and that mixed with the hairs. As a person who’s involved in matters of cleanliness and personal hygiene, I’d contributed to the clog, even if I hadn’t added much building material to the project. I had a part to play, so the plumber I did pay!

The world is in a heck of a mess. I’m worn out praying for an end to the fighting in Ukraine, Gaza, Somalia, the sea lanes off Yemen, etc. I’m worn out praying for an end to gun violence in America, child hunger, and the masses of second class citizens growing in this country. I’m worn out praying for congress to learn their job is not to get re-elected but solve the many problems they’ve been elected to solve. Getting re-elected is NOT the problem in need of a solution. 

I’m worn out, but I don’t stop praying. Praying isn’t about asking God to magically fix things, but asking how God might use us to fix the injustices and evils about which we pray.

I don’t really care which holy book one reads, studies, or honors as the basis of their faith. The one I embrace says (Isaiah 58), “If you remove the yoke from among you, the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil, if you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noonday.” Other religions and philosophies say much the same thing: Take care of one another.

Valentine’s day promotes love. Sure, we think primarily of romantic love on that day of chocolates and flowers. But since it coincides with Ash Wednesday, might we consider laying aside our grievances and seeking better ways to love one another? 

If you’re worn out by violence, death, animosity, vengeance, and all the acidic rhetoric floating about the airwaves and such, maybe one can choose to abstain from those things (more than from chocolates). Each of us can examine our lives and find where we fall short (and clean out attitudes that clog our relationships). 

Perhaps Saint Valentine’s Day is as good a day as any to focus our lives on loving Creation, our Neighbors, and Ourselves. If your love lasts more than forty days, so much the better! May you enjoy both a sweet Valentine’s Day and a more loving Lent here in this, our valley.

Keith Axberg writes on matters concerning life and faith. Author of: Who the Blazes is Jesus? Good News for a Vulgar World (available through Amazon in Print and e-book)