February 2007

Expressions of Love

The history of St. Valentine is a mystery and most likely a combination of stories surrounding two people named Valentine, both martyred for their faith on February 14, 270 AD. One was the Bishop of Terni, Italy who was beheaded outside of Rome, the other a priest and physician serving near Rome.

Emperor Claudius II was imprisoning Christians and some record that Valentine was killed for helping Christians escape Roman prisons.

Another story tells that the emperor decided to outlaw marriage, believing single men made better soldiers. Valentine was arrested for performing Christian marriages in secret.

During his trial, Valentine proclaimed that the God Jesus called Father is the only true God. The emperor threw him in prison for insulting the Roman gods.

While in prison, Valentine witnessed to the guards. One guard had adopted a blind girl and asked Valentine if his God could help his daughter. Valentine prayed and the girl was given her sight. The guard and his whole family, 46 people, believed in Jesus and were baptized. The emperor heard about this and ordered Valentine to be executed. Before his death, he wrote an affectionate letter to the jailer’s daughter and signed it, “From Your Valentine.” 

Valentine knew that he might get caught in his Christian activities. He knew that if he told the court the truth about the Roman gods that he would be thrown in prison. He knew that if he continued to witness to Christ in the prison he would make his captors angry. Willingly he continued, because he loved the Lord and loved people. He gave his life to free the prisoners and spread the Good News of Jesus Christ to those who needed to hear it.

The Bible says: "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends."(John 15:13) “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8).  Since God is love (1 John 4:16), it is in Him we can find the true meaning of love and source of love to share with others.

Let’s make this Valentine month more than hearts and flowers and chocolates. Let’s show love to our neighbors (James 2:8). Care for those in need (Matthew 25:34-40). Send a card of blessing to our enemies (Matthew 5:44). Let’s express love the way Christ loves us (1 John 4:19).   

Pastor Jonathan

愛的表達

『聖華倫泰』的歷史是充滿著神秘感的，極可能是將一些有關兩個名叫〝華倫泰〞的人的故事混合在一起，他們都因為堅持自己的信念而在在公元270年2月14日被殺害。其中一位是意大利特以尼(Terni)市的主教，他是在羅馬城外被斬首的；另一位是在羅馬附近事奉的牧師兼醫生。

羅馬皇克勞廸亞斯二世 (Emperor Claudius II)在位的時候，他監禁基督徒，有些記載指出〝華倫泰〞是因為協助基督徒逃離羅馬監獄而被殺的。

另外一個故事說羅馬皇認為單身男子會成為更好的士兵，所以決定婚姻為不合法。華倫泰就因為秘密為基督徒證婚而被捕。在他被審判時，華倫泰宣稱那位耶穌稱為〝父〞的神才是唯一的真神，因而被皇帝指他侮辱羅馬眾神而將他監禁。

在監獄的時候，華倫泰向獄卒們作見證。有一位領養了一位失明女孩子的獄卒問華倫泰他的神是否能夠幫助他的女兒，華倫泰為這女孩子祈禱以至她重見光明。獄卒和他一家46人全部信主而且受浸。皇帝知道此事就馬上下令處死華倫泰。在臨死前，他寫了一封真摯動人的信給獄卒的女兒，並署名〝你的華倫泰〞。

華倫泰明知他會因著自己的基督徒活動而被捉拿；他知道他在法庭上說出有關羅馬眾神的事實時，他會被關進獄中；他知道如果他繼續在獄中見證基督，他會使到捉拿他的人更加憤怒。但他仍然堅持，因為他愛主和其他的人。他為了使那些被囚的得釋放，和向那些有需要的人傳揚基督耶穌的福音而擺上自己的生命。

聖經說：「人為朋友捨命，人的愛心沒有比這個大的。」﹝約翰福音15:13﹞；又說「惟有基督在我們還作罪人的時候為我們死，神的愛就在此向我們顯明了。」﹝羅馬書5:8﹞；正如約翰一書4章16節所說，因為神就是愛，所以我們可以在祂裡面找到愛的真正意義，並且可以得到愛的源頭來與人分享。

讓我們使這個〝情人節〞超越那些心、花、和巧克力糖。讓我們向我們的隣居表示愛（雅各書2:8）；關心有需要的人（馬太福音25 ：34-40）；寄一張祝福的咭片給我們的仇敵（馬太福音5:44）；讓我們一起好像基督愛我們一樣來表達愛（約翰一書4:19）