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persecutors; I am so easily moved to hatred
and rancor towards my enemies! Thou didst pray so lovingly for those who crucified Thee, and I so
often seek revenge against those who offend me! Thy words were always words of
kindness and compassion, or words of rebuke only when rebuke was necessary to win back a sinner's
love; my words are so often inspired by dislike and ill-will towards others! Thou didst die to
prevent sin, and I am one of those who so often made Thy death in vain by leading others into sin
by my example or my cooperation. I am sorry now for all the harm I have done to souls that Thou
didst purchase with Thy Precious Blood; I promise now to make atonement, and to be ready to lay
down my life for the salvation of my neighbor. Grant me the grace to remember the power of my
example and my words and my actions over the lives of others; let me say or do nothing that
might bring pain to one of the little ones beloved by Thee. O Mary, who didst add thy sufferings to
the sufferings of Jesus in behalf of sinners, accept the sacrifices I shall make in behalf of
charity and unite them to thine, that with thee and in thee I may help to save many souls.

A new commandment I give unto you: That you love one another, as I have loved you, that you also
love one another.
By this shall all men know that you are My disciples, if you have love one for another.
- John 13:35, 36

JUSTICE

Among the virtues that have suffered most in modern times, one of the outstanding is that of
justice. It has been attacked by many false principles, such as: "Business is business," "You
can't get ahead without some sharp dealing," and "So long as a thing
is legal it is O.K." Such disregard of the principles of justice
between man and man has gradually distorted the necessary distinctions between
"mine " and "thine " until in
some Instances the conscience is completely dulled.

Despite all popular notions to the contrary, justice is still an essential part of the natural
law, and every sin and fault against it will be punished by God. It is defined as the virtue
whereby a man respects the rights of others to what they possess; whereby he gives to every man
what is his due, and takes from no man anything except that to which he has a just title. Just
titles for the acquisition of material things are: 1) occupation , e.g., settling on unowned and
unclaimed land, finding a lost article without trace of the owner, etc.; 2) the acceptation of
increase, fruit or additional value that arises in a thing already possessed;
3) exchange of material things with other men, either thing for thing, or money for thing, or
services for thing, etc.; 4) heredity. Any taking of material things from others without one of
these titles or a title akin to one of them is injustice. It can readily be seen, therefore, that
there are many ways in which justice can be violated. The principal ones are outlined in the
questions below.

I. MORTAL SINS

l. Have I directly stolen anything of considerable value from another, i.e., either 1) of great
value to the person involved, as one or two dollars might be to a poor per son, or five dollars
might be to a person of more means; or 2) of great value in itself and in the common estimation
of society, so that even if it were taken from a corporation or a very rich person, it would
still be considered a grave in­ justice?
2. Have I stolen a considerable sum of

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