Happy Valentine's Day!

Dear Brothers and Sisters, 

   Grace and Peace to you.

I am writing to you on Valentine's Day, so I say to you “Happy Valentine's Day!”.
Remembering that the love from which St Valentine’s speaks of and lived out in the 3rd Century was the love he had for Jesus. A love he gave out to others
and a love he was eventually martyred for.

The pursuit of love, to understand it, to experience it.
Love is important to human life. We speak of love all the time.
Love for children, spouse, pets, friends, food, nature,
whatever hobby or job that we may have;
 the list of what we love can go on and on.

In her popular song, Tina Turner said,
“What's love got to do with it?
What's love but a second-hand emotion?”
Love? Is it a second-hand emotion? 

The Bible directs us and invites us to receive the love of God. From Genesis to Revelation,
we see the steadfast love of God, a love that later came to be revealed in Christ Jesus.
Agape love, unconditional, giving love of the Father to us.
1 John 4:16 - So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us.
God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

God invites us to see and receive his love and, in turn, give this love.
This love, a love St Valentine gave out, isn’t a second-hand emotion. 

However, you spend this day, this month, and this year,
I write to let you know that you are loved — the beloved of God.
So precious are you that God, who is love, chose to lay down
and give his life for you through death on the cross. 

At St Mary’s, we invite and encourage you to come
and learn more about this love.
We seek to grow daily in the knowledge of being God's beloved;
a love that matters, because you matter. 

The unfailing love of God remains with you. 

Rev Funmilayo Vaughan - January '25