Celebrating Love and Sacrifice – When Valentine’s Day falls on Ash Wednesday

I’m started to hear rumblings months ago about Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day colliding again this year! The last time it happened seems like a long time ago. Since then we’ve gone through a world wide pandemic that changed everyone’s life and perspective.

In reality, it was only six years ago. But prior to that, it was 73 years ago! When Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day met before, we were at the end of a devastating World War. I would argue that was probably much worse than the pandemic.

After this year make note that we will have one more meeting of these two opposing events in 2029, and then we won’t have it again in this century. My new grandson won’t see that happen until he is an old man! So maybe instead of looking at this as a difficult fluke, we should treat it as an opportunity for love and sacrifice that we will only get one more time in our lifetime!

For a Catholic the two events shouldn’t really conflict, because we realize that if nothing else, love is sacrificial. So perhaps the best way to commemorate the day of love is by practicing sanctifying, sacrificial love. Maybe this is the witness that this self-absorbed and self-centered culture needs right now, and we can show it with our faith.

So here are some ideas for celebrating the two together.

Fat Tuesday is the Day!

Nothing like a day of fasting and abstinence along with the loss of desert and chocolate to make Fat Tuesday and Mardi Gras look bigger than ever!

Give Valentine’s candies and treats, but save them until Sunday! Then enjoy them together.

Change up your decorations. This year, some Halloween themed decorations put in among the hearts and flowers would be appropriate as we remember that we are but dust!

Offer special sacrifices for you loved ones on Valentine’s Day.

Have some masses lined up for some of your beloved dead friends and relatives. Make it your Valentine to them!

Eat your one and only penitential meal by candlelight! – How romantic.