When we think of the martyrs like Saint Valentine, what do we imagine? Probably the cruel scene of his death or the torture that he endured. This is an important part no doubt. It’s a sign of what he was willing to endure for his beliefs. But there’s a danger here: we might be forgetting what happened first.
You see, behind every martyrdom, there is a love story. Like our friend in this video, we all tend to be blind to God’s love. A martyr, however, is the one that stopped abruptly, and God happened to bump into the back of him. For the man who is suddenly struck in this way, nothing in his life will ever be the same. Once one’s eyes are opened to God’s love, nothing, absolutely nothing, seems too great a sacrifice if it allows us to give back just one drop of love.
Blind Devotion
Now, what about our day-to-day relationships with those around us? As the title says, love is best when it is blind. Perhaps one of the greatest challenges in our day is the fact that our culture as a whole seems to say the contrary: love needs to be seen, touched, photographed, shared, etc. And this isn’t completely false!
There’s a hint of something authentic here! How can we ever forget that first love poem in history when Adam saw for the first time Eve: “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh!”
Check out this link:
The problem with seeing though is that sometimes we forget that we have eyelids for a reason. Some things aren’t meant to be seen. Rather, let’s put that a different way: some things can only be seen with the eyelids closed. Sounds a bit paradoxical, I know, but that’s just the way it is.
So, let’s get to the point: we’ve lost touch with true intimacy. Intimacy comes from “intimare” (a wee bit of Latin never hurts) and originally meant: to allow something to enter inside. Today’s mentality insists that to get in, you’ve just got to knock the door down. This works excellently for robbing banks, but not so well when it comes to authentic relationships.
When it comes to people, the only way to “intimare” is to close your eyes. Overcome your egoistic curiosity and your desire to control. Learn to wait, to knock, and to trust. Break free of the illusion: tearing the veil back doesn’t get you what you are looking for! The veil simply invites you to discover a different kind of seeing, a seeing of the heart, which is the only kind that will ever show you what you most desire!
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Facebook Pinterest Gmail LinkedIn Print Friendly One of the greatest gifts parents can give their children is not simply knowledge of the Catholic Faith but a love for living it. While children should certainly learn the Creed, the Commandments, and the sacraments, they should also be introduced to the rich devotional life of the Church.… Read more: 3 Devotions Every Catholic Child Should Know - As We Forgive Our Debtors | Gospel Reflection Matthew 18:21-35
Facebook Pinterest Gmail LinkedIn Print Friendly Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Gospel Reflection In this Sunday’s Gospel (Mt 18:21-35), we learn that when others sin against us—when they do something that offends, angers or hurts us, it is as though they have incurred a debt with us that must be paid. Forgiveness is… Read more: As We Forgive Our Debtors | Gospel Reflection Matthew 18:21-35 - What This Priest Liked And Didn’t Like About The New Movie The Uprising
Facebook Pinterest Gmail LinkedIn Print Friendly Anglophiles and history lovers will be thrilled by a new movie coming to theaters September 11, 2026: The Uprising, starring Andrew Garfield. The movie portrays the Peasants’ Revolt of 1381 in England. The story of Robin Hood has its roots in the revolt, and in America, a marketing controversy has… Read more: What This Priest Liked And Didn’t Like About The New Movie The Uprising - 5 Lesser-Known Titles For Mary (And why she has so many titles anyway)
Facebook Pinterest Gmail LinkedIn Print Friendly Have your kids ever asked why Mary has so many titles? Or maybe it’s something you’ve wondered about yourself! In my latest book for middle grade readers, Detective Thomas and the Mysteriously Perfect Plan, amateur sleuth Thomas asks himself why Mary matters to us so much as Catholics. With… Read more: 5 Lesser-Known Titles For Mary (And why she has so many titles anyway)
