Today Jesus says in the Gospel, “Ephphatha!” That means, “Be opened!”  A closed mind — and heart — is a dangerous thing

How wild. Today, on Valetine’s Day, it happens that our first reading begins: The LORD God said: “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a suitable partner for him.” Man by himself – that was the first thing that God said was “not good”

In some circumstances, the refusal to be defeated is a refusal to be educated. – Margaret Halsey

“Let us love God, but with the strength of our arms, in the sweat of our brow.” – St. Vincent de Paul

Today we remember the days of creation. I teach this to kids with hand motions:

1. Day 1 – one finger up on right hand (God made the day) and then one finger up on other hand (God made the night)
2. Day 2 – Scissors …. God split the waters (making the sky, between heaven and earth)
3. Day 3 – Three fingers parallel with ground: God made the dry land…..then three fingers up–and plants
4. Day 4 – Stars Sun And Moon … four fingers up and count those four words
5. Day 5 – Make a fish with two hands, and then a bird……fish and birds
6. Day 6 – Five creepy crawlers and animals walkign on your arm, and then one finger up: and man
7. Day 7 – rest

There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root. -Henry David Thoreau

Both of our readings today make mention of prisons. Like so many saints, our saint today, St. Josephine Bakita, was no stranger to prison. We often imprison others. We put them in a box. We think: i know how this person operates. I know how he acts, how he thinks. We must never trap another person like this. Our God is a God of surprises, after all. Let us listen to Hebrews: “Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect hospitality, for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels. Be mindful of prisoners as if sharing their imprisonment….”