Happy Valentine’s Day! Or, as we theater kids would often say, Happy Single’s Awareness Day! Today seems to be one of America’s favorite holidays for a variety of reasons. To some, Valentine’s Day is an excuse to go the extra mile to impress your sweetheart; for others, it might be an excuse to eat more candy or splurge a little on that box of chocolates and roses for Mom; even still, that expensive date might provide the opportune moment to get down on the knee and pop the question. All of these things seem to be part of the package which Valentine’s Day unfailing offers to each of us year after year.

On the other hand (and in my experiences), Valentine’s Day might often end in heart-break, sadness, and turmoil. These are obviously things that nobody wants to deal with yet are essential parts of life. I can recall walking through North Central last year on Valentine’s Day and seeing one street corner with a happy couple and the next block had a bawling girl. C’est la vie, I suppose.

For me, though, Valentine’s Day means something different than all of those things. As you might remember from some of my earlier articles, I left North Central College and the presidency of the Character Counts! Coalition behind to study for the Diocese of Joliet to become a Catholic priest. This led me to St. John Vianney College Seminary at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. So for myself and the other 134 men that live and study here, today is known simply as “Celibacy Awareness Day.”

In all seriousness, the Valentine’s Days of the past meant something special to me; they were always an opportunity to finally tell that girl how I felt or slip a note in her locker. Coming to seminary knowing that if, God willing, I get ordained I will have to give up these things (not to mention a wife and kids) was difficult for me to accept. That is, until I came to see what love really is from the One who, no matter what, really loves us. Don’t get me wrong, it is important to have relationships with other humans and it is totally ok to be in love with another person as long as that love does not interfere with the great Love coming from on high.

Because God made me, he knows me better than any person I meet could ever hope to. He knows my deepest secrets already so I don’t have to worry about being broken up with over them. I know that in this match made in heaven, I don’t need to have an excuse to impress Him because I never have to impress Him; it isn’t possible to do too much for Him and He doesn’t call that splurging, He calls it “part of the deal.” He doesn’t get mad when I forget to call at night or when He sees me talking to other people; Shoot, I know He is madly in love with billions of other people and we’re still getting along fine.

This Valentine’s Day, consider where your love lies: is it in the person or the things? Is it based on true feelings or a temporary whim?  Regardless of your denomination or state in life, there is One above who is madly in love with you. To us “Romans,” today is nothing more than the celebration of St. Valentine, a Catholic bishop and martyr. I don’t need a special day out of the year to show God I love Him; it’s an everyday kind of thing. Sometimes people doubt the real power God’s love, so if you need proof: His love convinced a normal 19-year-old guy to give up girlfriends, a wife, kids, and lots and lots of money; no small feat.

The best part? I’m pretty sure we’ll live happily ever after.