It’s Valentine’s Day, and Ash Wednesday. I’m sitting in the waiting room of my urologist, watching an endless procession of old men come and go. I’m one of them: the brotherhood of enlarged prostates and the thousand other natural shocks…
What modern Christians might learn from the patron saint of plagues, St. Valentine
This year, thanks to a mischievous convergence of the cultural and liturgical calendars, Ash Wednesday falls on Valentine’s Day. It’s not the first time (2018 wasn’t that long ago) nor will it be the last (next up is 2029). Theologically,…
Valentines, ashes and the sixth anniversary of the Parkland School Shooting
For only the fifth time this century, Ash Wednesday shares the same date as Valentine’s Day, and the two will coincide only once more for the remainder of the 21st century. There is something strangely beautiful and paradoxical about these…
You think Christmas is a challenge for church leaders? Look at the calendar convergence coming in two months
The candles haven’t even been lit for Christmas Eve services, but for pastors and church staff looking ahead to the new year, an unusual calendar conflict is waiting in the wings two months from today. For only the fifth time…
This Galentine’s Day, make new friends but keep the old ones
In February 2010, the writers of Parks and Recreation introduced a new holiday to American pop culture: Galentine’s Day. As this memorable episode opens, the sitcom’s exuberant main character, Leslie Knope, is distributing gift bags to women gathered around a…
The rich tapestry of ubuntu love
Love is in the air this month, a sweet occasion enjoyed around the world. Valentine’s Day began in Medieval times and now is a romantic event to exchange endearing words, flowers and cards with those who mean the most to…
Paul didn’t pen 1 Corinthians 13 for weddings and Valentine’s Day celebrations
Love gets a lot of hype in February. But what kind of love are we celebrating? Too often we concede the concept of love to a cultural definition that adversely affects our relationships, especially at church.