Happy St. Valentine’s Day to you! How are you? Hope you are well on this day which is also known internationally as Friendship Day. That’s officially what is celebrated in Venezuela on February 14th as the “Día del Amor y la Amistad” or the “Day of Love and Friendship.” One other noteworthy celebration today is the Memorial of Saints Cyril and Methodius. There is a parish in northeast Minneapolis that is named in their honor and is under their patronal protection. Since our parish home of Immaculate Conception is close geographically to that church it would be good to offer up heartfelt prayers for them on this day.
While those respective holidays seem to be completely distinct from the title of this week’s eNewsletter the truth is that they are actually interconnected. Specifically, the Immaculate Conception School’s Theme for 2018-2019 is based on John 15:16, “God chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit.” The Theme goes on to state, “Mission: Possible. Go Make a Difference!” The Lord chose St. Valentine in Rome to go out and proclaim the saving news of Jesus Christ to the people of Rome in the third century. Though he was imprisoned and martyred for doing so the world has not forgotten his name or his generous acts of love.
Saints Cyril and Methodius were biological brothers and members of the Byzantine Catholic Church in the ninth century and they too were chosen by God to go out and preach the Gospel with their lives. They did this through missionary activity that began in their homeland of Greece but then traveled to many Eastern European countries. To help better communicate with the people that they were sharing the Good News with they created what is now known as the Cyrillic alphabet. They generously and courageously placed their confidence in the Lord and they made a difference in the world.
In the first reading for Mass for the Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time we read that, “Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose hope is the LORD. He is like a tree planted beside the waters that stretches out its roots to the stream: it fears not the heat when it comes; its leaves stay green; in the year of drought it shows no distress, but still bears fruit” (Jeremiah 17:7-8). In our current day and age we can live like Saints Valentine, Cyril, and Methodius in placing all of our trust in the Lord. When we hope in Him we are like a tree that is “planted near streams of water, that yields its fruit in season; its leaves never wither; whatever he does prospers” (Psalm 1:3).
When we remain rooted in the Love of Jesus Christ we are able to draw on the life-giving waters of salvation that flow from Him. As we are sent out on a mission to live as His witnesses in the world to our family and friends it is not an impossible task for “with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26). We are all chosen by God and appointed by Him to go out into the local community and our work environment and the world at large to bear fruit for His Glory. May we approach Jesus with Love, to Him whose cross is revealed as the Tree of Life, and with His Grace we will bear fruit that will last unto eternity.
