Born 1641, died 1682. It is perhaps no accident that the Church once dedicated this day to the memory of de la Columbiere, since he made quite a business out of love. (See yesterday's FECHA note on St. Valentine's Day.) De la Columbiere enjoyed a good deal of renown in 17th century Paris, because he preached very tellingly against a then-popular, but a hateful and elitist heresy called Jansenism. At the time, Jansenism was probably the single most divisive issue within the Catholic Church. The doctrine took its name from the Flemish theologian and bishop of Ypres, Cornelius Jansen (1585-1638) who taught a kind of Catholic Calvinism: only a chosen few are pre-destined for salvation, as long as they cooperate with God's grace by practicing very austere forms of piety and observing a rigorous morality. De la Columbiere, and his Jesuit Order, opposed the Jansenists by preaching the love of God, especially as embodied in the figure of an all-merciful and all-loving Jesus, as symbolized by His Sacred Heart, a Jesus who loves us, no matter how bad we are, or think we are. One day, he got a message from Jesus that he was on the right track. The message came from a young nun, Margaret Mary Alacoque, who had a vision of her own, a vision of Jesus telling her that she and de la Columbiere were to go on spreading that love-message. De la Columbiere took that message to England, where he was accused of being an ally of Titus Oates and others who were plotting against the King, then imprisoned and sentenced to death, until King Louis XIV of France intervened and secured his return to France, where, his health broken, he died at the age of 41. For a time, the Jansenists were effective. In 1760, they put the Jesuits out of business in France. But the Jesuits are still going strong today, and there are no Jansenists left.

MODEL: Galileo's persistence. He knew what he knew, and he pursued it, the condemnations of official dunderheads notwithstanding. Follow the force, the force of your own convictions. Galileo will always be remembered. Those who dogged him are long forgotten.

Ingenious. If you were born on February 15, you have a mind for innovation, whether tackling technical or artistic problems. Ruled by the number 6 and the planet Venus, you are highly attractive to others but the influence of Uranus may make relationships rocky.

Hot and cold. Daunting problems that face most people seem an enjoyable challenge to you. You're usually in good spirits for this reason, but your mood can turn swiftly if your ideas don't work out. You often don't have the stamina or patience to hang in there. Very sensitive, you don't take criticism well.

Smooth sailing. You like to make things run smoothly for yourself and others, not just out of the goodness of your heart, but also because it gives you more freedom from annoying responsibilities. You like to have fun, but are serious about your principles and ideals. You're very sympathetic and empathetic, so human and animal suffering have a great effect on you.

It killed the cat. You are a very curious person and enjoy taking in all the world has to offer. Even if confined to a small area, you like to inspect and dissect everything. This enriches your life but sometimes you seem scattered and unfocused.

Breakin' the law. You'd do well to add a little structure in your chaotic life, but you tend to rebel against outside controlling forces. You do follow the law of the land when it's fair and reasonable, but who said the law was always fair and reasonable?

Some Advice : Try to think constructively when confronted by rejection or disappointment. What could you do better next time? Stay focused and patient. When you react emotionally, it only brings you down.

Also born on this day:
Galileo (Italian astronomer) Susan B. Anthony (social activist) Charles Tiffany (NY store founder) Cyrus McCormick (invented mechanized reaper) John Barrymore (actor) Matt Groening (creator of The Simpsons) Jane Seymour (actress) Brian Holland (Motown songwriter, producer) Henry Threadgill (jazz saxophonist) Herman Khan (physicist) Cesar Romero (actor) Melissa Manchester (singer)