Will You Be My Valentine?

Pope Frances     Patriarch Kiril

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day and I can't think of any more appropriate story to celebrate this loving day than Pope Frances and Patriarch Kiril finally making up after their big break up 1,000 years ago.

After not speaking for a millennium, they got together in Cuba this past week.  They hugged and kissed (3 times on the cheek) and then had a two-hour personal conversation.

One thousand years ago the break up came when the Russians separated from the Catholic Church and formed the Russian Orthodox Church.  Because the plight of both groups is dire in the middle east and elsewhere they were "ready to take all measures to overcome differences."

John Wesley

And they do have a number of differences, just like us regular folks do.

So the next time you and your significant other have a big blow out and stop speaking for a while, try to think about what this behavior does to the kids (and the rest of us) and then do the right thing!

I, myself, am neither Roman Catholic nor Russian Orthodox.  I'm a United Methodist.  John Wesley was the inspiration for the Methodist Church and he had similar ideas about how people who think differently about things - can still love each other.

Though we cannot think alike, may we not love alike?  May we not be of one heart, though we are not of one opinion?  Without all doubt, we may.    - John Wesley

Happy Valentine's Day!


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