Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day
In 2024, Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day coincide on the same day, offering a unique opportunity to reflect on the true meaning of love. While modern culture often associates Valentine’s Day with celebrating a specific person with whom one is in love, it should also be a time to look beyond the surface-level concept of love. True love involves committing oneself to another person’s greater good, which requires both emotional expression and tangible actions.

This year, with Valentine’s Day falling on a day that calls for fasting and abstinence within the church, there is even more reason to move beyond the superficial. Take the opportunity to express your love in a meaningful way that reflects the perfect love of God. Just as Jesus sacrificed himself on the cross to demonstrate God’s love, consider the Ash Wednesday and Lenten sacrifices you can make for your beloved to show your love in action.

Use this occasion to have a deep and meaningful discussion with your beloved. How can the love in your relationship reflect the love of Jesus Christ? What kind of sacrifices can you make to demonstrate your love? How can the days of Lent bring you closer to each other by the practice of your faith?

Take some time to reflect on these questions this Wednesday, February 14, Ash Wednesday, and Valentine’s Day. Enjoy an early special dinner for Mardi Gras instead of Valentine’s.