God our loving Father, give us the grace to ACT more than to REACT to many people and situations that come our way. Give us the grace to accept the truth no matter how painful it may be; likewise, give us the grace to simply ignore falsehoods thrown at us especially if it will not cost us anything serious at all.
Like King David in our first reading today, make us realize that our reactions, our hitting back at others accusing us do not necessarily protect our dignity but actually reveal our many insecurities; many times, our reactions bare our sensitivities or touchiness that we really deserve even more than what is being said about us.
Then the king said to Abishai and to all his servants: “If my own son, who came forth from my loins, is seeking my life, how much more might this Benjaminite do so! Let him alone and let him curse, for the Lord has told him to. Perhaps the Lord will look upon my affliction and make it up to me with benefits for the curses he is uttering this day.” David and his men continued on the road, while Shimei kept abreast of them on the hillside, all the while cursing and throwing stones and dirt as he went.
2 Samuel 16:11-13
Teach us to act decisively in every situation, especially against evil like your Son, Jesus Christ: the moment he came to the Gerasenes and met the man possessed by demon, Mark tells us how "He had been saying to him, 'Unclean spirit, come out of the man!'" (Mk.5:8); when the people drove him out of their town for sending the demons into a herd of swine, off he went for he knew it was best; most of all, when the exorcised man begged to join him, he sent him home to his family.
Like your great Saint, Don Bosco, who early in life faced so many obstacles in life up to his priesthood, he never reacted to adverse situations and people but kept his cool, always cheerful in his disposition, acted only on your divine will, winning so many hearts and souls to Jesus in his work among the youth and the poor that continues to this day. Amen.
