for justice take a minute to meditate today - Stpatsphenixcity.org

FOR JUSTICE
TAKE A MINUTE TO MEDITATE TODAY
02/11/13 through 02/17/13 8-6
MONDAY
Happy the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked, nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent. But delights in the law of the Lord and meditates on
his law day and night. He is like a tree planted near running water, that yields its fruit in due
season and whose leaves never fade. Not so the wicked, not so; they are like chaff which the
wind drives away.
- Psalms 1:1-4
Psalm 1 leads off the collection of 150 psalms by comparing those who study and practice the
law of the Lord to a tree planted near streams of water, while the foolish and wicked are said
to be like chaff driven by the wind. In both cases true happiness consists in trusting God and
following God’s way.
- Fr. Daniel Harrington
TUESDAY
I remind you to stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my
hands. For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and selfcontrol.
- 2 Timothy 1:6-7
Humanity has learned to harness the power of the tides and the sun and the moon. Someday
in the future, humanity will learn to harness the power of love, and for the second time in
history, we will discover fire.
- Pierre Teilhard De Chardin
WEDNESDAY
To you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who
curse you, pray for those who mistreat you… Love your enemies and do good to them, and
lend expecting nothing back; then your reward will be great and you will be children of the
Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your
Father is merciful.
- Luke 6:27-28, 35-36
Love can change situations of hatred. It is the only way such situations can be changed. Hate
for hate will always bring more hate. Violence for violence will always bring more
violence. Love is the transforming power. This is what you must proclaim first of all as you
live your life.
You do not have to go a long way geographically to be a disciple of Jesus. All you have to do
is look to the person next to you. Do you really love this person? In you own home, in your
workplace, in your neighbor, in the world, anywhere – Love. This is what will change
everything. This is what it means to be a disciple of Jesus.
- Bishop Thomas Gumbleton

THURSDAY
All bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, and reviling must be removed from you, along with all
malice. Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven
you in Christ.
- Ephesians 4:31-32
Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of
God’s kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile.
- Blessed Teresa of Calcutta
FRIDAY
We who are receiving the unshakable kingdom should have gratitude, with which we should
offer worship pleasing to God in reverence and awe. For our God is a consuming fire.
- Hebrews 12:28-29
We are not human beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a
human experience.
Love alone is capable of uniting living beings in such a way as to complete and fulfill them,
for it alone takes them and joins them by what is deepest in themselves. All we need is to
imagine our ability to love developing until it embraces the totality of men and the earth.
A universal love is not only psychologically possible; it is the only complete and final way in
which we are able to love.
- From The Phenomenon of Man, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
SATURDAY
St. Mary Domenica Mazzarello was born in Mornese, Alessandria, Italy on May 9, 1837 to
hardworking parents. Her family was not of abundant means, so each day brought with it
long days in the vineyards, carefully tending to the delicate vines in the glaring sun. Mary
was known for her cheerful spirit and willingness to help others, even at the cost to
herself. She was not without a temper, though! Her quick wit could often turn sour when
vexed, and controlling her temper was something she would have to work at all her life.
When Mary was fifteen she joined the Association of the Daughters of Mary Immaculate, run
by her parish priest, Father Pestarino; it was a precursor to the founding of the Salesian
Sisters.
The Daughters were known for their charitable works and Mary soon set herself apart for her
sound judgment, dedication, joy, and love of the young. Whenever she went the village
children were drawn to her like a magnet, eager to hear her jokes and stories, or to ask her a
multitude of questions
When Mary was 23, a typhoid epidemic hit Morenese and villagers started rapidly dying, Her
aunt and uncle were taken ill and she volunteered to take care for them and their many
children. After caring for them, she returned home and became ill with the very sickness
that she helped heal and was brought to the brink of death. After recovering, Mary was
walking in her village and was suddenly astounded to see before her a large building with a

courtyard and many girls playing and laughing. A voice, immeasurably majestic and kind said
to her, “I entrust them to you.”
At the same time St. John Bosco had a similar experience where he was shown a group of girls
abandoned in a courtyard. The same voice said to him, “These are my daughters; take care
of them.” The Holy Spirit was preparing St. Mary Mazzarello and St. John Bosco’s hearts to
act upon their inspiration to found a society to care for young girls, just as the Salesian priest
and brothers cared for young boys.
Fifteen young women comprised the Daughters of Mary Immaculate. Fr. Pestarino had busied
himself with training them in the spiritual life and managed to secure a place for some of
them to live in community, thus was the beginning of religious life in Mornese. Life was
difficult and full of sacrifices; they would often have to beg for food and scrounge for wood
and sticks for the fire. They were cold in the winter, and often hungry, yet they all accepted
it with a cheerful spirit, sharing what they could with the young girls who would come to
them for aid.
Upon learning of the Daughters, Don Bosco went to Mornese to investigate the possibility of
founding a female counterpart of the Salesian Sisters from the Daughters of Mary
Immaculate. In1867, after receiving the Daughter’s enthusiastic response to his proposal, he
drew up their first rule of life. A source of the community’s good spirit, sense of humor,
optimism and charity, Mary Mazzarello was a natural choice as the first superior, although she
did all that she could to not accept the title. Eventually obedience won out and she was the
first Mother of the community at age thirty, albeit in an informal sense. At age 35, Mary and
14 other newly professed brides of Christ that were the founding community beamed with
joy, and a sense of relief that their sentiment that God had called them into his vineyard was
correct. Don Bosco looked on his new daughters as a happy father,; indeed the mutual visions
of the founders had come to pass.
In the pre-dawn hours of May 14, 1881, Mother Mazzarello began her death agony. It was a
terrible thing to witness, but ever resolute to praise God for all that he sent her, she began to
force out a weak, yet sincere hymn to the Blessed Mother. It exhausted her and she fell into
a deep sleep. After receiving the last rights she turned her attention to those around her and
weakly whispered, “Good-bye. I am going now. I will see you in heaven.” Shortly after, she
died at the age of 44. She was canonized on June 24, 1951. A life of utter devotion to the
will of God and love for others, Mary Mazzarello continues to serve as an example of
dedication and holiness, a true mother in every way.
- Salesian Sisters
SUNDAY
Work for six days, and rest on the
seventh. - Exodus 23:12
Be still, and know that I am God.
- Psalms 46:10