On May 13th, the Salesian Family celebrates the Feast Day of St. Mary Domenica Mazzarello. Mother Mazzarello, pray for us!

A hot Italian sun beat mercilessly on the handful of workers in the rocky field. Mopping the sweat off their well-tanned faces, they labored on, their hands burrowing into the soil, skillfully setting the delicate vines in place and tying them tenderly with wisps of straw onto thin sticks. But it was so hot in the glaring sun! Gradually, one by one, they began edging away toward the shade, till a single girl remained in the field, her sturdy, young body bent firmly over her task, her swift fingers deftly caressing the vines and sealing them into place. Now and then, as a lock of her black hair fell across her eyes, a quick movement of the hand pushed it back into place under a white kerchief – and then immediately back to work! “Mary,” called a friend, “come on in out of the hot sun. It’s much more comfortable here!”

Mary looked up. “But no work was ever done in the shade!” she laughed. “Since when have you all become afraid of the sun?”

“We’re not afraid. We just prefer to wait till it sets lower in the sky!” retorted a young man.

“Cowards!” the girl in the field chided. “The sun is God’s gift to us! You’ll never have any wine this winter if you hide in the shade!”

A peasant woman laughed heartily. “Some girl, that Mary Mazzarello! She can beat anyone of us in the field, and that goes for the men too! No use calling her. She’ll stay there till her line is done and then go on to ours!”

“Mary,” teased a young fellow resting under a tree, “did you hear that? Is it true you can beat us working on the farm?”

“On the farm and anywhere!” came the decided answer.”……

Read her complete story here: 
http://www.donboscowest.org/saints/marymazzarello

Original Title: Gold Without Alloy: A Brief Account of the Life of St. Mary Mazzarello By Paul Aronica, SDB

lB