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31st January

Feast of St. John Bosco

READ: (2 Sam 24: 2, 9-17; Mk 6: 1-6)

REFLECT: Directing the young people of today in compassion and being a model of inspiration to all..

Dear friends, we are commemorating today the feast of St. John Bosco popularly known as Don Bosco. He was a Roman Catholic priest from Italy, educator and writer of the 19th century. He completely dedicated his life to the betterment and education of street children, destitute and disadvantaged youth of his time. His methods of teaching focused on love rather than punishment.

St. John Bosco, also known as Giovanni Melchiorre Bosco and Don Bosco, was born in Becchi, Italy, on August 16, 1815. He was the youngest of three sons. His father passed away when John was very small. His mother continued to raise her sons with much love and affection. His mother was so devout and ardent in her spirit and spirituality brought up three of her sons in discipline and devotion. Realizing that little John Bosco was interested and showed signs to become a priest, his mother motivated and guided him in his vocation and service.

John Bosco was ordained a priest in 1841. After ordination, Father John joined his mentor, Father Cafasso, in Turin to continue his studies at the Institute of Saint Francis where Father Cafasso was in charge.  He began his ministry of helping boys and young men who lived on the streets, those without work or education in the city of Turin. As a priest, he was determined to save as many young people as he could from a dreadful conditions and situations of their life. He initiated a group known as the Oratory of St. Francis de Sales, and guided and helped them as spiritual father to boys in need.

John Bosco founded two religious Congregations; the Society of St. Francis de Sales (known as the Salesians of Don Bosco) in 1859, and With St. Mary Mazzarello he founded the Daughters of Our Lady Help of Christians (Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco) in 1872, a congregation of nuns dedicated to similar work among girls to continue his mission and service among young people. St. John Bosco died in 31st Jan 1888.  He was beatified on 2nd June 1929 by Pope Pius XI and was canonized on Easter Sunday 1 April 1934, by Pope Pius XI. St. John Bosco is considered as the patron saint of apprentices, boys, youth, students, teachers, catholic publishers and editors, laborers, magicians. Today, the congregation continues to spread so rapidly and has expanded its mission in different parts of the world catering to the needs of the young people and the destitute, the remarkable legacy left by St. John Bosco on earth.

So based on the life of St. John Bosco and the liturgy of the word, I would like to share with you three points of reflection;

1. St. John Bosco’s desire to direct the youth:

Pope Francis very aptly calls St. John Bosco as the father and teacher of the young. He further states that St. John Bosco did not shut himself up in the sacristy; he did not close himself off in his own things. He went out into the streets to look for young people, with the creativity that was his hallmark.”

Yes, we all know from the life of St. John Bosco as a young priest he focused his concern on the orphaned and homeless child laborers that he encountered in Turin, Italy. It was not simply an eye-wash rather he felt the need of it. His heart beat was ceaseless, perhaps to do something good for the people who suffered in Italy, as they had no one to help and support in their stay, studies and daily situations of life. But in realizing his dreams come true and his desires be fulfilled, St. Bosco had the endurance to deal with the life-situations of the people and completely relied on the providence of God. That’s what we have in the first reading from the letter to Hebrews, “Lay aside to sin which clings us closely and run with endurance the race set before us, looking at Jesus the founder and perfecter of faith, who endured everything for love of us and make our lives lovely and loveable.”

Yes today, we need to endurance to deal with the people in their life especially the young; we need to rely on the providence of God to help and guide such wayward young people without a provision for stay, study and a steady life; we need to help such people to focus on their priorities and motivate them patiently and lovingly to understand and live the life happily in a given situation. So let’s make every effort to endure and fix our eyes to help the youth of our society.  

2. St. John Bosco’s compassion for the destitute:

There are two episodes narrated in the Gospel. They both describe the element of faith and the compassion of Jesus in healing them and restoring them new life in the society and in the family. Jesus heals Jairus’ daughter, who was at the point of death; Jesus heals the woman who suffered from hemorrhage for twelve years. The faith of the ruler Jairus and the woman who wished a healing from Jesus by just touching the fringe of his garments are healed by the faith that they had in Jesus and the compassion that Jesus showed them as they were helpless and abandoned. That compassionate and healing act that we see in the Gospel reading is what we see in the life of St. John Bosco, who was compassionate to people and brought about healing in life.

We know from the life of St. John Bosco that his first assignment after ordination was to the city of Turin. It had slums and widespread poverty. It was into these poor neighborhoods he went to work with the children of the poor. While visiting the prisons, he looks at a large number of boys, between the ages of 12 and 18, inside. Their conditions were dreadful, felt pity for them and wished to help. So going into the streets and meeting young men and boys where they worked and played, using his talents, doing tricks to capture attention, shares his message, motivates them, inspires them, guides and helps them to live a better life. We can call this act as a compassionate and healing act of St. John Bosco to the destitute and disadvantaged people.

In one of his letter from St. John Bosco he writes the following; “My sons, in my long experience, very often I had to be convinced of this great truth. It is easier to become angry than to restrain oneself, and to threaten a boy than to persuade him. Yes, indeed, it is more fitting to be persistent in punishing our own impatience and pride than to correct the boys. We must be firm but kind, and be patient with them. See that no one finds you motivated by impetuosity or willfulness.”

Yes, today we need to bring about a healing in the lives of the people by the very act of compassion that we show. We need to deal with people tenderly and lovingly and heal them of oppression, abandonment, helplessness, suffering, hopelessness and miserable conditions of life. St. John Bosco had such a power and strength to heal and be compassionate to people because he had faith in Jesus. So let us pray that we have complete faith in God that he may make us instruments of healing and be compassionate to people who need our help and support.

3. St. John Bosco – an Icon of Inspiration:

Today the world needs icons of inspiration and a model of hope to make life lively and happy. St. John Bosco was one such saintly person, who made the life of people lively and happy. St. John Bosco remains a model and icon of inspiration for all of us priests, religious and the lay faithful. Pope Francis shares with us an inspirational incident in the life of St. John Bosco.

Pope Francis shares that on the day of John Bosco’s ordination, his mother said to him: ‘you will be a priest, you will begin to suffer.”  Pope Francis continues that the purpose of this warning and “prophecy” from his humble mother was to make known her son that if he perceived no suffering, then that was a clear sign that “something was wrong”. Why should a priest suffer? The reason can be found in Don Bosco’s life choices. He “had the courage to view reality with the eyes of a man and with the eyes of God”. Yes, today all of us experience suffering and are part of sufferings of life, when we courageously view the reality with the human eyes and with the eyes of God. The struggle to change our human perspectives and world views into the perspectives and world-views of God make us go through hard process of success. But we need to have complete trust in God like St. John Bosco.

In a letter to the Salesian on the occasion of the bicentennial birth anniversary of St. John Bosco, Pope Francis very profoundly writes that St. John Bosco lived with a great passion for the salvation of the young; appeared as a credible witness of Jesus Christ and an outstanding herald of his Gospel; in profound communion with the Church, and in particular with the Pope. He lived in constant prayer and union with God, with a strong and tender devotion to our Lady, whom he invoked as the Immaculate Virgin and the Help of Christians; he was endowed with mystical experiences and the gift of miracles for the sake of his boys.

Yes, today’s youth are exposed to enormous vulnerable situation and at times unable to handle problems due to social, moral, physical, economical, psychological changes of the society, although there are youngsters who walk towards the path of Christ. They look for models and guides, who can inspire and motivate. Can we be like St. John Bosco triggering in the spirit, zeal and hope for life?

Today a common group in our parishes is the youth group, who can make the ministry of the church energetic and enthusiastic by their involvement and contribution in the service of the church, provided they are given opportunity under the competent and proper guidance of priests, religious and people in charge. Can we give them such an opportunity and orientation to serve the church? So Let us ensure that, as people responsible to feed the faith of Christ and the Church we may accompanying them on their journey to bring Christ in every nook and corner of the world.   

RESPOND:

Do we have a desire to direct the young people towards God with determination and devotion?

Do we deal with the young people and common people with compassion and bring them healing?

Do we present ourselves with our life-style to our young generation as icons and models of inspiration and hope?

Let us have a desire and be determined to direct the people to God; show them compassion and bring healing; be a living model of inspiration to the youth of the day and the common people. Amen.

Wish you all a very Happy Feast of St. John Bosco. 

God bless us all. Live Jesus!