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Dear Assumption Catholic Schools

We approach ever closer to Lent and our time to journey again with Jesus as he prepares to redeem us with His death and resurrection at Easter.

Our virtue this week is Kindness

The strength to be friendly, thoughtful
and welcoming to others.

Lord, thank You for giving us the opportunity to
gather and learn about the virtues.
Help us to do it for your glory and honor.
Strengthen our wills and forge our resolve to
practice the virtue of KINDNESS
in our pursuit of being friendly, thoughtful
and welcoming to others.

Treat others the way you want to be treated.
“Do unto others
as you would have them do unto you.”
Matthew 7:12

Kindness is The strength to be friendly,
thoughtful
and welcoming to others.
Is there a thoughtful action we all do to help
others this week?
Examples:
Shoveling a neighbor’s driveway or sidewalk.
Sharing something with a friend.
Doing a small chore for Mom without being
asked.

Matthew 4: 42-48
Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn
your back on one who wants to borrow. You have
heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor
and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your
enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that
you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he
makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and
causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.
For if you love those who love you, what recompense
will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the
same? And if you greet your brothers only, what is
unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the
same? So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is
perfect.

“Kindness is the natural fruit of goodness
of the heart.”
– St. Katherine Drexel

“The greatest kindness one can render to any
man is leading him to truth.”
– St. Augustine

“A tree is known by its fruit; a man by his deeds. A
good deed is never lost; he who sows courtesy reaps
friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love.”
– St. Basil

The opposing vice

MEANNESS
THE WEAKNESS TO INTENTIONALLY DESIRE TO HARM OTHERS
OR CAUSE THEM TO SUFFER.

WHY ARE SOME PEOPLE SO MEAN?

* Fear – some people have insecurities and vulnerabilities that
they want to protect. Being mean is a self protective function
that keeps people at a safe distance. If you respond to a person
that is being mean that is motivated by a fear of getting hurt
with a little sharpness from your end, you actually reinforce their
motivation to be mean because you just fulfilled their fear that
people can’t be trusted.
* Hurt – just like its twin sister Fear, when people have hurt
feelings they go into self preservation mode and act like they
are afraid.
* Weakness – Sometimes people don’t know any better. They
think that being aggressive is just being assertive. Sometimes
people will justify their meanness by explaining that they
shouldn’t have to sugar coat anything, or that they are just being
honest.
There are many reasons and in the end there are no excuses.
We should always follow the Golden Rule!

Not to give way to anger, whatever happens; but if perchance the sparks of passion are
suddenly lighted in our breasts, let us call on God, and refrain from acting or speaking till we
are sure that our anger is appeased.
We shall find it of great service to arm ourselves in prayer against every chance of irritation
that may befall us, in order not then to give way to culpable resentment; we should always
remember that saying of St. Francis de Sales: I never remember to have been out afterwards
regretting it.
St. Alphonsus Liguori

CLOSING PRAYER

Lord, God, You didn’t run at the first sign of
chaos or difficulty.
You showed us how to have true KINDNESS for
others by coming to earth to save us.
We want to live like You.
We want to live for You and for others.
Help us to have KINDNESS for others this week,
by sincerely reaching out to those in need.
Amen.

In Christ’s Peace

Daniel Minter

President

Assumption Catholic Schools