Saint Who's Day?

Today is the feast day of Saints Cyril the Monk and Methodius the Bishop and here is a picture of their statue in the National Park in Bratislava. Do not say that I never do anything for you. Of course, even though these two men are the patron saints of Europe, it is unlikely that you will be running around giving people cards to commemorate them, nor that certain of the smaller format newspapers will be running amusing tales of Cyril and Methodius Day related fun. Of course, for the rest of the world including the Taliban and the Saudis who have banned the sale of red roses this week and so wonderfully, the most detached-from-reality secret police force in the world will be spending today looking for flowers, today is Valentines day. Whether the Taliban will also ban the harvesting of red poppies with which heroin is made remains to be seen.

Even though it is Lent, I hope that some of you woke up to little red cards this morning and may I suggest that such cards do not have to hint at behind-the-bikesheds, or over-the-office-photocopier liasons. Love is a thoroughly Christian virtue and it does us all good to love, whether we are the Carmelite in her Carmel gazing adoringly on the Sacred Heart or Mrs. Nextdoor making a cake for Fr. Goodatvisiting because she was so pleased that he visited her in Hospital (although it is Lent, Mrs. Nextdoor, so no icing). I will be spending this evening at Church, saying Compline then listening to Sister Theresa telling us about her life as a sister of Our Lady of Zion, because I love to sing God's praises and I love to bring different expressions of the Faith to people.

So let us celebrate St Valentines Day, whether he existed or not and whether the world has turned it into a money spinning operation or not, because we should be loving each other every day and because we are the Easter people, full of joy, not the Miserable people, full of infighting and backbiting.