This year Feb. 14 is a unique day of confluence. Feb. 14, 2024, is both Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday. It’s also the start of spring training for baseball teams.
In my eight decades of life, I can’t ever remember when Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday coincided. For one thing, Ash Wednesday is unusually early because Easter is unusually early (March 31.) And for this confluence to happen, Valentine’s Day has to fall on a Wednesday, which, of course, happens only once every seven years.
This coincidence has given me pause to reflect on how I, as well as other Christians who celebrate Ash Wednesday, will deal with this dilemma. Valentine’s Day is a day of joy; Ash Wednesday is day of mortification, when congregants are told to remember they are dust and into dust they shall return.
So what does a Christian do? I’ve talked to several people in my church. One person pointed out she was going to celebrate Valentine’s one day earlier on March 13, which this year happens to be Mardi Gras. I thought that was a very clever idea, especially if you can take a trip to New Orleans.
The pastor of St. Joseph’s Church in Los Banos, Father John Schmoll (a regular contributor to The Westside Express pastors’ columns) had another suggestion. He realized that the Knights of Columbus in his parish scheduled their take-out fish fry for the following Friday, Feb. 16.
Father John recommended that good Catholic husbands should buy a fish fry ticket and, instead of giving their good Catholic wives candy and flowers on Feb. 14 (which would not be in keeping with Ash Wednesday mortification), should present them instead with a fish fry ticket.
I checked with several good Catholic wives in the parish. They said Father John’s idea wouldn’t fly. “You think my husband can get off that easy?” one said. She did say, however, she would accept candy and flowers either the day before or the day after, as well as a dinner out on either day.
I bought one of the fish fry tickets and asked a Knight if he thought Father John’s idea was a good one. He shrugged his shoulders and said, “Well, you could give it a try,” without much enthusiasm in his voice.
I had to continue to ponder this dilemma. Fortunately, this issue won’t come up again often. According to one internet site, the two events will also coincide in 2029 but not again this century. The last time the coincidence happened was 1945, the year I was born, which, of course, was a long time ago.
The coincidence of Ash Wednesday also being this year the first day pitchers and catchers report for spring training is not as hard for me to deal with as its coincidence with Valentine’s Day.
I’m sure other Chicago Cubs fans would agree. After all, we’ve been dealing with baseball mortification every year since 1909, except for 2016, when the Cubs won their only World Series in the past 115 years.
I had some other thoughts, reflecting on the word “ash.” I could give my wife Sandy on Feb. 14 this year something with “ash” in the name. I thought of an ash tray, but she doesn’t smoke.
I thought of an ash can, but that doesn’t sound very romantic. I thought of planting an ash tree in her honor, but, as noble as this sounds, I don’t think it would be enough. Giving any of these gifts, I feel, would make an ash out of me.
I kept pondering. As good as celebrating Valentine’s Day on Mardi Gras (Feb. 13) sounds, I wasn’t quite up to flying her and me to New Orleans, although the thought of beignets and café au lait at Café de Monde there was appealing.
I finally decided to give Sandy her valentine card on Feb. 13, with a note which read, “My dearest Sandy, please accept this card not only as an expression of my undying love, but also as a rain check for flowers and candy that I will bring you later (but not tomorrow). In between we can share ashes.”
I’ll leave it up to my readers’ imagination what Sandy’s reply was. In the meantime, Happy/Sad Valentine’s/Ash Wednesday to all!
John Spevak’s email is john.spevak@gmail.com
