DID you celebrate St Valentine’s Day yesterday?

St Valentine is one of those ancient Christian saints we don’t know much about – but it seems he was probably a priest in Rome in the third century, when it was still illegal to be a Christian. Valentine was executed for helping Christian couples get married – hence his association with romance and lovers.

This year, St Valentine’s Day coincided with Ash Wednesday, the start of the season of Lent. For many people, this is an opportunity either to give something up – like chocolate or alcohol – or to start doing something positive.

For Christians, Lent is a period of reflection and repentance as we anticipate Easter.

We think about our lives, and about how we might have let God, our friends, loved ones or ourselves down. We reflect on how we might live better in future.

You might think that the patron saint of lovers and the reflective season of Lent have little in common – but in fact they both flow from the same source: love, and especially the love of God for his world. In Lent we recall the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross – giving his life out of love for everyone. St Valentine too, gave his life out of love for those he tried to help.

And so, this Lent, don’t just give something up or stop doing something! Why not think about how you might show your love for the world and the community you live in.

For example, you could collect an item of food every day during Lent and then donate it to the foodbank. Or maybe drop in on elderly or lonely neighbours to check they are OK. There are lots of things we could all easily do to make someone else’s life that bit better.

REV CAT THATCHER

Vicar of Oxenhope