|
|
|
Saint Valentine’s Day
A history in rhyme By Bill Jongbloed
-
- Do you send Valentine Cards
- Do you send them each year
- Do you know how it started
- Read on and you’ll hear
- For in the fourth century AD
- Emperor Claudius decreed
- Roman’s worship twelve god’s
- It was evil indeed
- But Valentinus refused
- As Christ only he served
- And he was jailed for this crime
- Awaiting a fate undeserved
- But his jailer could see
- This man was learned and wise
- And his daughter was born blind
- Could Valentinus be her eyes
- So young Julia was brought
- To this great man in his cell
- Who taught of history and math
- And of God did he tell
- Soon she trusted his teachings
- Saw the world through his eyes
- As he proved wise and strong
- And he never told lies
- Then one day Julia asked
- Does God hear what I pray
- Valentinus replied
- God hears all that you say
- Now young Julia was praying
- Hard each morning and night
- She prayed hard to see
- She prayed for her eyesight
- Valentinus then told her
- God does what is best
- But to receive of God’s gifts
- You must first pass his test
- Do you believe in Lord Jesus
- She said yes yes I do
- Then they knelt and held hands
- And her faith was proved true
-
- For as they prayed in the dungeon
- There came a brilliant flash of light
- Julia cried Valentinus
- God has given me sight
- Praise be to God
- Valentinus proclaimed
- Julia wept in his arms
- Praise be to God she exclaimed
- Now on the eve of his execution
- To his friend Julia he wrote
- Please stay close to God
- Is what he wrote in that note
- And he signed this last letter
- From your Valentine
- So it’s in this man’s honor
- That we give Valentine’s
- So on the 14th of February
- His life came to end
- And Julia grieved fiercely
- As he was truly her friend
- So an almond tree she planted
- With blossoms pink near his grave
- As both a sign of her friendship
- And of the friendship he gave
- So that now to this day
- Almond trees stand a sign
- Of love and of friendship
- As they have from that time
- So on the 14th of February
- Please celebrate Valentine’s Day
- With both the things that you do
- And the words that you say
- But take not this day lightly
- As you give of your love
- As your thoughts and your prayers
- Are heard by God up above
- So this was the lesson
- Valentinus lived to teach
- May it indure through all ages
- And may all people it reach
|
|