Memorial of Saints
Cyril, monk, and Methodius, bishop
(I Kings 11:29-32.12:19; Mark 7:31-37)
Although today, Valentine’s Day, is commonly associated
with erotic love, the feast has saintly origins. There are several versions of the story of the
ancient martyr, St. Valentine, and probably for this reason the Church has dropped
the feast from its calendar and has reassigned the day to the less primitive Saints
Cyril and Methodius. In Latin countries
the day is frequently called Día de Amistad,
or Day of Friendship, celebrating the love between friends as much as the love
between sweethearts. Here we may see a
link between the legendary martyr(s) of old and the two official saints of the
day.
Cyril and Methodius were brothers who ventured from their
native Greece to the Slavic nations of the Ukraine and Moravia in the ninth
century. They had positions in teaching
and government before becoming missionaries.
Why did they leave their careers to preach the gospel in foreign
lands? Could it have been anything other
than love of Christ? Sure missionaries
have a sense of adventure, but they make a new home in a new place among new
people because they sense Jesus urging them on.
As any good friend, he inspires them, invigorates them, and cares for
them.
Jesus is our friend as well. He might be whispering in our ear to become
foreign missionaries, but more likely he wants us to preach to those who
surround us today. Of course, he does
not want us to harangue anyone, quite the contrary. He asks us to share his joy, his peace, and
his love.
