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Happy February Assumption Catholic Schools,

Today is the first Friday.. Take some time to recognize the great gift that is Jesus in our lives. We remember that He was sent by God to redeem us and to provide the means by which we can become closer to God and our ultimate goal of eternity in heaven with Him.

February Virtue Theme

The virtue of Love for Neighbor, or Charity, is a divinely infused virtue, that gives us
the strength to love God above all things for His own sake, and our neighbor as
ourselves for the love of God.

As Jesus said, “This is my commandment, that
you love one another as I have loved you.”

PRAYER BEFORE A CRUCIFIX
Behold, O kind and most sweet Jesus,
I cast myself upon my knees in Your sight,
and with the most fervent desire of my soul I pray
and beseech You
that You would impress upon my heart lively
sentiments of Faith, Hope, and Charity, with true
repentance for my sins, and a firm purpose of
amendment,
while with deep affection and grief of soul I ponder
within myself
and mentally contemplate
Your five most precious Wounds;
having before my eyes the words which David in
prophecy
spoke concerning Yourself,
O good Jesus:
“They have pierced my hands and feet;
they have numbered all my bones.”

How do we grow this virtue of
LOVE FOR NEIGHBOR?
Prayer: Asking our Lord for the strength to see
the good in our neighbor so we can love them
more readily.
The Sacraments
Living the spiritual and corporal works of mercy.

CORPORAL WORKS OF MERCY
Feed the hungry
Give drink to the thirsty
Clothe the naked
Visit the imprisoned
Shelter the homeless
Visit the sick
Bury the dead

SPIRITUAL WORKS OF MERCY
Admonish the sinner
Instruct the ignorant
Counsel the doubtful
Comfort the sorrowful
Bear wrongs patiently
Forgive all injuries
Pray for the living and the dead

Our Purpose

God created us to know Him, to love Him, and to
serve Him in this world, and to be happy with
Him forever in HEAVEN in the next.
The virtue of LOVE FOR NEIGHBOR is a
necessary strength which will help us achieve
that goal.

CHALLENGE
Before or after Mass one day, go as a family to
light a candle and pray for one of your neighbors
who is most in need.

RESOLUTION

Extra effort to do something
charitable each day: smile, hold door,
speak positively …

FAMILY RESOLUTION
Make a special effort to do
something charitable for a neighbor.

Luke 10: 25-37
There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test him and said, “Teacher, what
must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law?
How do you read it?”
He said in reply, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your
being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”
He replied to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.” But
because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
Jesus replied, “A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to
Jericho. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead.
A priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by
on the opposite side. Likewise a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him,
he passed by on the opposite side.
But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the
sight. He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and
bandaged them. Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn and
cared for him.
The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper with the
instruction, ‘Take care of him. If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall
repay you on my way back.’
Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?” He
answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do
likewise.”

“All those who love the poor in life, will have
nothing to fear from death.”
– St. Vincent de Paul

“A life not lived for others is not a life.”
– St. Teresa of Calcutta

The opposing Vice

MALICE
THE WEAKNESS TO INTENTIONALLY HARM OTHERS OR DO EVIL.

MALICE IS HORRIFYING
Malice is one of the ugliest, most horrifying vices that exist.
It is the epitome of WEAKNESS.
• Wanting to hurt others.
• Tripping others intentionally to hurt or embarrass them.
• Lying about others to intentionally ruin their reputation or to
make others think poorly of them.
Let us beg God for the grace to never fall into this horrifying vice.
And we always remember that the Sacrament of Penance, the
Sacrament of Reconciliation is a wonderful gift and blessing that
God offers us to ask forgiveness for all of our sins and begin
again.

“I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven
over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people
who have no need of repentance.”
Luke 15: 7

CLOSING PRAYER
ACT OF LOVE
O my God, I love Thee above all things with my whole heart and
soul, because Thou art all good and worthy of all love.
I love my neighbor as myself for love of Thee.
I forgive all who have injured me, and I ask pardon for all whom
I have injured.

In Christ’s Peace

Daniel Minter

President

Assumption Catholic Schools