Doomed: The original Valentine story

I have written in several columns that I do not believe we will have fair and real elections come May.  That happened in 2010 and 2013. And the same set-up exists. No matter what is done, the premise of automated voting systems is unconstitutional. I wrote it then and will write it again and again.

With the news that there may be no election at all come May because the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has failed to revamp the source codes for use in the poll machines comesis not a surprise.

Smartmatic-Technology Information Management (TIM). Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said “the Comelec has yet to deliver the codes for safekeeping to a Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) vault due to new problems discovered in the Consolidation and Canvassing System (CCS) and the Vote Counting Machines (VCM). I think I heard that in 2010 and 2013.  Churchmen have also come into the fray but I don’t think it will matter. The Aquino administration will do everything it can to thwart an honest election.

Ladies and gentlemen it will be too late by the time we realize we have been fooled again. The question is how the people with take it for the third time.

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Like Christmas, we are wrong that material gifts are what matter. When Valentine comes, lovers think of flowers and candy. Hearts are red and romantic music adds to the atmosphere of restaurants. If you have not reserved in a restaurant, tough luck if you will get any table.

But the origin of Valentine’s day is actually very different from the commercial version it has become. As one post says of it the origin of this holiday for the expression of love really isn’t romantic at all.

According to one version, it came from Whitefriars Father Frank O’Gara of Whitefriars Street Church in Dublin, Ireland, tells the real story of the man behind the holiday – St. Valentine.

“He was a Roman Priest at a time when there was an emperor called Claudius who persecuted the church at that particular time,” Father O’Gara explains. “ He also had an edict that prohibited the origin of this holiday as a day for the expression of love. Then Valentine’s Day is not romantic at all or not meant to be.

“I think we must bear in mind that it was a very permissive society in which Valentine lived,” says Father O’Gara.

So the church thought that marriage was sacred between one man and one woman for their life and it should be encouraged. And so it immediately presented the problem to the Christian church of what to do about this.

“The idea of encouraging them to marry within the Christian church was what Valentine was about. And he secretly married them because of the edict.”

Valentine was eventually caught, imprisoned and tortured for performing marriage ceremonies against command of Emperor Claudius the second. There are legends surrounding Valentine’s actions while in prison.

In the year 269 AD, Valentine was sentenced to a three part execution of a beating, stoning, and finally decapitation all because of his stand for Christian marriage. The story goes that the last words he wrote were in a note to Asterius’ daughter. He inspired today’s romantic missives by signing it, “from your Valentine.”

“What Valentine means to me as a priest,” explains Father O’Gara, “is that there comes a time where you have to lay your life upon the line for what you believe. And with the power of the Holy Spirit we can do that – even to the point of death.”

Valentine’s martyrdom has not gone unnoticed by the general public. In fact, Whitefriars Street Church is one of three churches that claim to house the remains of Valentine.

“Valentine has come to be known as the patron saint of lovers. Before you enter into a Christian marriage you want some sense of God in your life – some great need of God in your life. And we know, particularly in the modern world, many people are meeting God through his Son, Jesus Christ.”

“If Valentine were here today, he would say to married couples that there comes a time where you’re going to have to suffer. It’s not going to be easy to maintain your commitment and your vows in marriage. Don’t be surprised if the ‘gushing’ love that you have for someone changes to something less “gushing” but maybe much more mature. And the question is, is that young person ready for that?”

“So on the day of the marriage they have to take that into context,” Father O’Gara says. “Love – human love and sexuality is wonderful, and blessed by God – but also the shadow of the cross. That’s what Valentine means to me.”

During the last weeks of Valentinus’ life a remarkable thing happened. Seeing that he was a man of learning, the jailer asked whether his daughter, Julia, might be brought to Valentinus for lessons. She had been blind since birth. Julia was a pretty young girl with a quick mind. Valentinus read stories of Rome’s history to her.   He described the world of nature to her. He taught her arithmetic and told her about God. She saw the world through his eyes, trusted his wisdom, and found comfort in his quiet strength.”

“Valentinus, does God really hear our prayers?” Julia asked one day.

“Yes, my child, He hears each one.”

“Do you know what I pray for every morning and every night?  I pray that I might see.   I want so much to see everything you’ve told me about!”

“God does what is best for us if we will only believe in Him,” Valentinus said.

“Oh, Valentinus, I do believe! I do!” She knelt and grasped his hand.

They sat quietly together, each praying. Suddenly there was a brilliant light in the prison cell.   Radiant, Julia screamed, “Valentinus, I can see!  I can see!”

“Praise be to God!” Valentinus exclaimed, and he knelt in prayer.

On the eve of his death Valentinus wrote a last note to Julia, urging her to stay close to God. He signed it, “From your Valentine.” 

He was buried at what is now the Church of Praxedes in Rome. It is said that Julia planted a pink-blossomed almond tree near his grave. Today, the almond tree remains a symbol of abiding love and friendship. On each Feb. 14, Saint Valentine’s Day, messages of affection, love, and devotion are exchanged around the world.”

Not very romantic these days but very romantic when it comes to true love.