Prayer to St. Valentine

Dear St. Valentine,
teach us through your martyrdom to love unselfishly
and to find great joy in laying down our lives for others.

May your example and prayers
enable all true lovers to bring out the best in each other.

May the love of God reign in their hearts
through your intercession today.

Through the outpouring of God's spirit on them,
may all who are called to the vocation of marriage
grow in patience, kindness, mercy, tenderness, and compassion.

Your faith gained you victory over all of your suffering, dearest Valentine;
may the faith, hope, and love
of those who are married or who seek to marry never fail.

May God, Who is the source of all love,
lavish his love on all of these couples today.

May they be Valentines to each other
as you were to those whom you loved.

We pray that the love of our brothers and sisters may be strengthened
to bear all trials,
to endure whatever comes,
and to lead them at last to the Kingdom of Heaven.

We ask these great blessings for all couples with you, St. Valentine.

May the glory of God descend upon them
and remain with them forever,
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.