February 14: Love, Valentine's Day, Christmas

"Why did you get married?" said Scrooge.

"Because I fell in love."

"Because you fell in love!" growled Scrooge, as if that were the only thing in the world more ridiculous than a merry Christmas.  "Good afternoon!"

I think the reason I chose this little exchange between Scrooge and his nephew, Fred, is pretty obvious.  On Valentine's Day, I think examining Scrooge's ideas about love seems an appropriate thing to do.

Obviously, Scrooge puts love in the same category as Christmas, and I wouldn't argue with that grouping.  Love and Christmas really do go hand-in-hand.  Scrooge eventually learns this lesson by the end of the novel.  Along the way, however, he sees love in several incarnations.  There's Fan, showering Scrooge's younger self with sisterly love.  There's Belle, Scrooge's former fiancee, releasing him from his vow of love.  There's Bob Cratchit, clinging to fatherly hope and love.  There's Fred, blessing his wife and friends with affection and love.  Indeed, in A Christmas Carol, love and Christmas are two sides of the same coin.  One cannot exist without the other.

Therefore, Valentine's Day is another occasion to extend Christmas love throughout the year.  That Scrooge thinks love is ridiculous isn't surprising.  I imagine the words "I love you" are about as foreign to his tongue as "Merry Christmas."  In fact, by the end of the book, Scrooge is wishing everybody"Merry Christmas," but I can't find a single instance in its pages where he utters "I love you."

But real love isn't about chocolates or roses or greeting cards, no matter what Hallmark says.  It isn't about saying "I love you."  Real love is deeper than that.  It's about sacrifice and devotion and humility.  Scrooge learns that.  He sends Bob Cratchit's family a turkey for dinner,  but he does so anonymously.  He takes care of Tiny Tim's health issues and saves the child's life.  He donates a large sum of money to the poor and, by inference, continues to do so for the rest of his days.  And he reaches out to his nephew, Fred, and Fred's wife, begging for their forgiveness and love.  Through his actions, Scrooge embraces the work of love in his life.

Hit me with your best shot!

We all need to embrace love like Scrooge.  We need to show our significant others, children, family and friends that love isn't just a noun, thrown around on special occasions like Christmas and weddings and anniversaries.  Love is a verb.  Active.  Powerful.  Transforming.  Love can cure the sick.  Love can heal the pain.  Love can feed the hungry.  Love can save the world. 

That's real love.  True love.  Christmas love.  Valentine's Day love.

Saint Marty wishes all his disciples a happy Valentine's Day.