I wonder what Saint Valentine thinks about Valentine’s Day. The Church certainly remembers him, but the feast gives all the recognition to Saints Cyril and Methodius. Go figure. I see one connection, however. The two brothers were sent off in 863 to Slavic nations. While missionaries before them were teaching the people in Latin, the two brothers invented a Slavonic alphabet, translated the Scriptures, and thus founded Slavonic literature. Their missionary efforts were quite successful and became the model of inculturation for future missionaries. The brothers’ hearts were focused on the people they served. These German brothers threw in their lot and shared in everything. Their hearts became inclusive with their love for a different nationality.

On Valentine’s Day let’s examine the inclusiveness of our hearts. What is our attitude toward migrants and immigrants? Is there any culture we look upon with suspicion? Do we encourage learning more than one language? How open are our hearts to differences?