Fourth Estate/Madalyn Godfrey
How Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day are connected according to Mason Catholic Chaplain
BY MADALYN GODFREY, ASSISTANT OPINION EDITOR
Editor’s Note: This interview was edited for length and clarity.
Falling 46 days before Easter and marking the beginning of Lent, the Catholic tradition of Ash Wednesday makes its appearance this Valentine’s Day. Although serving as a reminder of human mortality, the tradition may seem unlikely to mix well with this day of love, but it is quite the opposite.
Sitting down with George Mason University’s Catholic Chaplain and Mason alumni, Father Joe Farrell explains the significance of Ash Wednesday and the way it intertwines with Valentine’s Day.
A lot of Catholic students on campus are discussing Ash Wednesday this year and making preparations for it throughout the day. What is Ash Wednesday?
“So on Ash Wednesday, we are both recognizing the fact that we are sinners and we are mortal and that we will go back to God, but with it comes a great deal of hope that there is always this opportunity for renewal and rise from the ashes just as Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead. So the ashes are a reminder of our mortality, but also a reminder of the resurrection we can experience through Christ.”
With Ash Wednesday falling on the same day as Valentine’s Day, how does this day of mortality go with this day of love?
“It’s actually very fitting because Valentine’s Day is based on St. Valentine, who was an Early Church martyr. So he actually died for the [Catholic] faith and was considered a saint connected with romance because he helped couples discover their vocations [of marriage]… So having [Valentine’s Day] coincide with Ash Wednesday, which is about mortality and rising again with Christ, we can focus on the true story of St. Valentine. A saint who gave it all up for Christ but also gives us great hope and a great deal of love among people.”
With Ash Wednesday marking the beginning of Lent, which is a penitential season of sacrificing, how is love mixed within?
“When we give something up, it does not mean we give something up that is bad. We give up something that is perhaps good, but we start to mistake the creation for the creator…[and] give us an opportunity to redirect ourselves toward God. The three traditional ways the [Catholic] Church celebrates Lent are prayer, fasting and almsgiving. So we give God the gift of time through our prayer… We stop using and enjoying something that is good to focus on the high good, which is God, and almsgiving. Perhaps we give up going to Chipotle or going to Starbucks and then that allows us to have extra money to give to those who are less fortunate, give to those who are hungry or those who are homeless.”
In a way, is the traditional celebration of Lent of taking time to do more similar to the celebration of Valentine’s Day?
“Things we experience that we love, whether it is God, family, friends or our romantic partners, those are things that we can take for granted… Special events and anniversaries like Valentine’s Day and the holiday season where [we] can be more intentional about [our] appreciation for others is the same thing with Lent. It’s an opportunity to reconnect with God and become more intentional about our relationship with Him. It is a great check-in period for our relationship with God, the same way we have it in our relationships with one another.
I encourage people to find their own way of living out Lent and St. Robert Bellarmine Chapel is available every day of the year. It’s right across the street from the university and please check us out and we would be happy to help you live a great Lent and beyond.”
Those who are interested in getting connected with Fr. Joe Farrell at St. Robert Bellarmine Chapel may visit Catholic Patriots.
