A Valentine's Day Prayer

Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing but rejoices in the truth.  It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

- 1 Corinthians 13

Do you remember writing out Valentine’s cards for everyone in your class?  Cutting out hearts of construction paper and coming up with cute messages that would let your friends know that you cared for them?  Did you tell your parents that you loved them before you went to bed every night?  Or did you kiss them goodnight?

Let us pray this reflection on love attributed to Pedro Arrupe sj

“Nothing is more practical than
finding God, than
falling in Love
in a quite absolute, final way.
What you are in love with,
what seizes your imagination, will affect everything.
It will decide
what will get you out of bed in the morning,
what you do with your evenings,
how you spend your weekends,
what you read, whom you know,
what breaks your heart,
and what amazes you with joy and gratitude.
Fall in Love, stay in love,
and it will decide everything. “

From Finding God in All Things: A Marquette Prayer Book © 2009 Marquette University. 

God of love, you bless us every day with goodness and love.

Remind us to make every day a day of love and affection.

Let us give the person in front of us our full undivided attention.

Help us be a conduit of your love to those we meet everyday.

Amen.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

-Created by Sister Pat Carter and the Federation Vocation Animation Committee to commemorate both Valentine’s DAY and Family Day.

Images: Diana Polekhina /Brigitte Tohm | Unsplash

The Lost Doll and the Tooth Fairy

As somewhat of a reluctant “Facebooker,” a friend, aware of this, emailed me the link to a story she thought I might enjoy. Curious, I clicked on the link and found myself reading a moving account about a sympathetic middle-aged man and a crying girl who had lost her doll. I won’t spoil the ending, but it’s a brief (266 words) post that’s worth experiencing for yourself. Read it here.

The girl’s unexpected encounter with Franz Kafka reminded me of an experience of my own.

““Everything you love will probably be lost, but in the end, love will return in another way.””

As a primary school teacher, I too, had a memorable encounter with a sobbing child. I had just entered my Grade 1 classroom when I was immediately met with the sound of crying. I soon discovered one of my students, in tears. When I asked her what was wrong, she explained through sobs that she had lost her baby tooth and wouldn’t be able to place it under her pillow for the Tooth Fairy. I knew the day would be ruined for her, and maybe even for all of us, if I didn’t find a way to solve her dilemma. Then, inspiration struck.

I suggested that the Tooth Fairy would probably accept a letter from her teacher, explaining the situation and requesting the fairy accept the note in place of the missing tooth. The sobs stopped, the tears dried, and a smile returned to the girl’s face. I quickly wrote the letter and asked her to carefully tuck it into her book bag.

The next day, she came into class bubbling with excitement and handed me a thank-you note from the Tooth Fairy. It turned out her mother had played along, showing her gratitude for my creative solution.

Did this article spark any memories for you?

-Sister Nancy Wales, CSJ

Franz Kafka was a German-speaking Bohemian writer born in Prague in 1883, and he is widely considered one of the most influential authors of the 20th century.

The Gift of Music

Recently, I had the pleasure of attending a Herman’s Hermits concert in Niagara Falls with three others. One of them had won the tickets, which made the experience even more exciting! A Herman’s Hermits album was one of the very first I ever owned, and I have always loved their sound.

For days after the concert, I found myself listening to their songs on repeat—singing along, of course! This experience reminded me of what a gift music is to all of us and what a true blessing it can be. No matter what genre one enjoys, music has the power to uplift, reflect our moods, or even shape how we feel. The melodies can touch our hearts, and the lyrics can speak to our minds.

Someone with a deeper appreciation of music could likely describe this phenomenon better, but all I know is that music has a way of reaching our souls like few other things can.

Thank you, God, for the gift of music and for all those who bring it into our lives.

-Sister Nancy Sullivan, CSJ

Image: Kari Shea/Unsplash

Don’t Pull Down the Shades

If a window of opportunity appears, don’t pull down the shades.

-Tom Peters

Charitable organizations have received a welcome late Christmas gift, thanks to a recent decision by the Canadian government. Many seniors and others, motivated by goodwill, traditionally make contributions to their favorite charities before the end of December. However, this year, the mail strike severely hindered their ability to respond to year-end donation appeals. In an unexpected move, the federal government, perhaps heeding the warnings of the ‘Ghost of Yet to Come,’ has granted a timely extension to help offset the disruption caused by the postal delays. After requests from premiers, the government agreed to amend the Income Tax Act, allowing Canadians to claim charitable donation deductions on their tax returns through the end of February.

Image: Michelle Spollen/Unsplash

This extension gives taxpayers more time to support the local nonprofits that rely heavily on community contributions to fund vital social services. It's a reminder that the window of opportunity is still open to contribute and make a meaningful difference. Local organizations that support vulnerable populations are counting on continued generosity to meet their operational costs in 2025. So, in the spirit of the season, consider extending that goodwill beyond the holiday season—help your neighbors, keep the lights on for vital services, and ensure that your tax benefits work in your favor.

Let’s not let this chance slip away—the "Ghost of Yet to Come" may just be nudging you to act while this window of opportunity is still open.

Please note: In spite of parliament being prorogue the CRA will honour the draft legislation extending the deadline for making donations that are eligible for tax relief in the 2024 tax year for donations made before February 28, 2025.

“To help provide certainty as we head into tax season, the CRA is confirming that it will proceed with administering the 2024 deadline extension for charitable donations.”

-Sister Nancy Wales, csj

Image: Steve Johnson @steve_j / Unsplash

Reaching for Hope

A reluctant Facebook user, I received an email from a friend prompting me to view a new group of photos she had posted on Facebook. Below was one of them, an image taken of street art.

My experience viewing it can best be described by the timeless maxim, "A picture is worth a thousand words." In researching this adage, I found that it is frequently attributed to Fred R. Barnard, an advertising expert who first coined it in a 1921 article in the trade magazine, Printer’s Ink. Barnard’s insight suggests that a single image can convey more information than a lengthy description ever could, a point that has only gained relevance over time.

The piece of street art I encountered on my friend’s Facebook is a creation by a mysterious figure, known by the pseudonym Banksy. This English-based street artist and political activist has managed to keep his identity a mystery. His works often demand that the viewer take time to pause, think, and interpret.

The photo above links well with a fellow street artist, Shepard Fairey’s assertion, “Art is an important form of communication.”

Banksy’s work epitomizes this concept, by using visual language to deliver a compelling message. For me his imagery on the wall conveys themes of focus, perseverance, and gradual progress, an invitation for viewers to reflect on hope’s journey of striving and achieving new vistas step by step.

Why Banksy’s graffiti, caught my eye and engaged my reflection, was stimulated, perhaps in part, by “Pope Francis’ designation of the 2025 Holy Year of Jubilee as a time for renewal as "Pilgrims of Hope." which has been on my mind in recent reflections.

I invite you to allow Banksy’s art to evoke in you, your own words and thoughts on hope, proof that, indeed, a picture often says more than words can convey.

-Sister Nancy Wales, CSJ