St John’s lifework was the welfare of young boys and girls. He had no formal system or theory of education. His methods centered on persuasion, authentic religiosity, and love for young people. He was an enlightened educator and innovator. (Fr James Socias, et al [Eds], “Daily Roman Missal”, p1468)
The Apostle of Youth
John, at nine years old, had a vision of Our Lord and Our Lady which made him resolve to become a priest and fulfil the vocation they had shown him: love and help for poor street boys. He was ordained at the age of twenty-six. (Ann Ball, “Modern Saints”, 1983, p102)
The day before he entered the seminary, his mother, laying her hands on his shoulders as he stood robed in his clerical dress, said: “To see you dressed in this manner fills my heart with joy. But remember it is not the dress that gives the honor to the state, but the practice of virtue. lf at any time you come to doubt your vocation, I beseech you, lay it aside at once. I would rather have a poor peasant for my son than a negligent priest.
“When you came into the world I consecrated you to Our Lady. When you began to study I bade you honor her and have recourse to her in all your difficulties. Now I beg you to take her for your Queen.”
Don Bosco was poor all of his life; but he completely trusted God. Often there was no money to pay rent or workmen on the churches he built. He had spent millions building large schools, a basilica to Our Lady in Turin and one to the Sacred Heart in Rome; and funding missionaries.
[A story goes that the Blessed Virgin appeared to him in Turin, Italy, where she asked to have a church built to her under the title, ‘Mary Help of Christians’.(In “A Marian Pilgrimage”, 2000, p31) See May 24]
Guided by Our Lady, Don Bosco founded a new order in 1859, the Congregation of St Francis de Sales (‘Salesians’), and received papal approval by 1869. In 1875, after seeing a vision of starving, unwashed, poorly clothed girls pleading for help, St John Bosco and St Mary Mazzarello founded the Salesian sisters, called the “Daughters of Mary, Help of Christians”.
The third part of his religious family was a group of lay people, the ‘Salesian Cooperators’ who pledged to work with, and help, the Salesian priests, brothers and sisters in the salvation of young people. Their system is to help boys and girls learn to be good before they get into trouble. (Ann Ball, op cit, pp104-5)
Ref: H Hoever, “Lives of the Saints”, 1989, p55
The “Twin Pillars of Victory” -- In 1862 John Bosco dreamed that world peace would come only after a fierce battle wherein the Pope will triumph by anchoring Peter’s Barque, the Church, to the pillars of the Eucharist and a fervent true devotion to Mary. (Ted and Maureen Flynn, “The Thunder of Justice”, 1993, p2)
On zeal for the glory of God
This zeal consists in an ardent desire to inspire others, to fill all hearts with the assent that all honor and glory belong to God alone. These feelings, furthermore are matched with the most profound reverence and adoration, and an entire offering of one’s self.
Every good son naturally has his father’s glory and interests at heart. God is Father to us all. We owe him our life and all we possess. However, the truth is, most men still deserve the reproach Moses directed to the children of Israel: ‘He forsook God who made him, and departed from God his Saviour.’
Nothing can possibly be greater or more excellent than the end which God had in view in all His works. And this end was Himself, and his own glory. ‘The Lord has made all things for Himself.’ This was also His end in creating man in His own image.
The Lord said: ‘I have created him for my glory.’ Hence, St Paul’s precept -- “Whether you eat or drink, or whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Cor 10:31) What a privilege for man to work for the same end as God! It behooves us, therefore, to promote not only the glory, but the ‘greater glory’, of God.
Since nothing can be more excellent than works undertaken for the glory of God, then nothing can be of greater merit in his sight ... As He said -- ‘Whosoever shall glorify me, him I will glorify.’
We should be anxious to seize every opportunity of exercising zeal for the glory of God. Such opportunities abound everywhere -- at home, in the office or school, even during recreation, or at rest. Our good example can lead others to perfection, thus becoming instrumental to the greater glory of God.
Ref: cf “Practical Meditations” by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, pp363-5
Learning from Mary’s life of faith
Our Lady’s life was not easy. It was filled with trials and difficulties; but her faith overcame all obstacles and got stronger with each victory. ... Mary’s faith shines silently at Nazareth. The Son born to her is a child who grows and develops like any other human being. Yet she knows that this child is the Son of God, the long-awaited Messiah. ... the Almighty. ...
The Blessed Virgin looked at her son with love as her child, and with reverence as her God. Her faith shone in the everyday events of her life. Her life of prayer grew in intensity through intimacy with Jesus. Thus she was able to give a supernatural meaning to all the events of her life, and sanctify “the ordinary everyday things -- what some people wrongly regard as unimportant or insignificant: everyday work, looking after those closest to you, visits to friends and relatives.” (St Josemaria Escrivá, “Christ is passing by”, 148)
Mary’s faith reached its zenith at the foot of the Cross. There, silently, she fulfilled God’s will by her presence and manifested the brightness and splendour and steadfastness of the faith in her heart. (cf Second Vatican Council, "Lumen Gentium", 58) “Mary by the eternal Will of the Most High stands ... conforming ... accepting fully and with a ready heart everything that is decreed in the divine plan.” (cf John Paul II, Encyclical, “Redemptoris Mater”, 14)
“Grant me, dear Jesus, the faith I truly desire. My Mother, sweet Lady, Mary most holy, make me really believe.” (St Josemaria Escrivá, “The Forge”, 235)
Ref: cf F Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 4:552-4
THE SEVEN SUNDAYS DEVOTION TO ST. JOSEPH -- Honors the seven joys and seven sorrows of St Joseph. (Ref: “Handbook of Prayers”, Fr Charles Belmonte and Fr James Socias [Eds], 1988, pp321-3)
“What must Joseph have been, how grace must have worked through him, that he should be able to fulfill this task of the human upbringing of the Son of God.
“For Jesus must have resembled Joseph: in his way of working, in the features of his character, in his way of speaking. Jesus’ realism, his eye for detail, the way he sat at table and broke bread, his preference for using everyday situations to give doctrine -- all these reflect his childhood and the influence of Joseph.
“It’s not possible to ignore this sublime mystery: Jesus who is man, who speaks with the accent of a particular district of Israel, who resembles a carpenter called Joseph, is the Son of God.”
Ref: St Josemaria Escrivà, “In Joseph’s Workshop”. In “Christ is passing by”, Ibid, 40
The first sorrow and joy of St Joseph
His sorrow when he decided to leave the Blessed Virgin; his joy when the angel told him the mystery of the Incarnation, that Mary’s child is the Son of God and is the awaited Messiah.
“Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son and you must name him Jesus, because he is the one who is to save his people from their sins.” (Mt 1:20-21)
“The Gospels give us a picture of Joseph as a remarkably sound man who was in no way frightened or shy of life. On the contrary, he faced up to problems, dealt with difficult situations and showed responsibility and initiative in whatever he was asked to do.”
Ref: Ibid, op cit
Apparition of Our Lady to Blessed Angela de Foligno [Italy, 1285]. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; http://www.bethlehemobserver.com)
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