January 31, 2019

John Bosco

January 31, 2019:  St. John Bosco, Priest

See 16 connections with today?
Legend below
Listen
For Psalm 24
When Don Bosco was ordained, his mother told him, “Today you'll begin to suffer.” Suffering is a sign things are going well, that you have courage, like John Bosco, to look on reality with human and divine eyes.  He saw the poor discarded and boys on the streets, and said, "this can't be!"  The boys might end up on the gallows.  He was moved as a man and thought of ways to raise them, to make them grow.  He also had the courage to see with God's eyes and pray, “How do I deal with this injustice?  These people you created for fullness are in the midst of a tragedy.”  Seeing reality with a father's love and seeing God with a beggar's eyes, he went forward.
To look on reality with human and divine eyes, you need to spend a lot of time before the tabernacle.  He drew close to the boys, played games with them, put them in groups, walked with them.  Don't just be functionaries, employees with office hours.  If you see with human eyes, you'll receive that sentiment, wisdom, and understanding that they're your children, your brothers and sisters, and you'll have courage to fight, to struggle with God.  There's the risk of regarding the human at the expense of the divine, or vice versa, but if we don't take the risk, we won’t accomplish anything.  This entails enduring suffering, persecution, and gossip.
Don't hide the light
(animate)
Don Bosco knew from childhood what it meant to earn his daily bread.  He understood true piety.  God gave him a great heart, one of a father and a teacher.  If you see reality with human and divine eyes, you'll find joy.  If you don't find joy, stop and ask why.  Don Bosco made others joyful, rejoiced himself, and suffered.  Ask the Lord, through Don Bosco's intercession, for grace to be joyful and look at things with human eyes and God's.
Read
  • Heb 10:19-25  Jesus is our great high priest; through his blood we can enter the sanctuary.  Approach with sincere heart and in trust, clean from evil, holding to your confession that gives hope.  Rouse each other to love and good works.  Don't stay away from the assembly, but encourage one another.
  • Ps 24:1-4ab, 5-6  "Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face."  The Lord's are the world and those who dwell in it.  Who may stand in his holy place?  Those of sinless hands and clean heart; they'll receive God's blessing.
  • Mk 4:21-25  "A lamp is to be placed on a stand, not under a bushel.  All will come to light.  The measure you measure will be measured out to you.  Those who have will be given more; the others will lose the little they have."
Reflect
  • Creighton:  How could so many reject Jesus' message?  “The mystery of God's kingdom has been granted to [you], but to those outside, everything comes in parables, so that they may not perceive, understand, or be converted."  But everything will come to light.  Parables don't harden hearts; hearts harden on their own.
  • Passionist:  Our polarized world needs to see God’s face.  So many people are good, but there's so much horror.  “Rouse one another to love.”  We can change the world, starting in our own families.  A smile can change someone’s day, and maybe they'll treat someone else better…  Through sharing of light, billions can be lit.  We can’t turn a blind eye to all we abhor but rather love, show compassion, and serve.  We must be the change we want to see, proclaiming Christ by living in love and hope....
  • DailyScripture.net:  "Live in the light of God's truth and wisdom":  Lamps enable people to see and work in the dark and avoid stumbling.  The Jews understood 'light' as an expression of God's beauty, truth, and goodness.  We might refuse to face truth or try to suppress it, but truth can't remain hidden.  Just as light illumines darkness, so Christ shines in us and enables us to see God's kingdom.  John the Baptist, "a shining lamp," bore witness to God and pointed others to Jesus, true Light and Savior.  We're to be light-bearers of Christ so others may see the truth of the gospel and be set free.  We can try to hide things from others, ourselves, and God, but God knows and sees all.  Listen to and follow God, receive what you need to live as Christ's disciples, and shine with God's wisdom, truth, and love.
    • John Bosco, priest, cared for the young (night classes, boarding house...), founded the Salesians
Dress legend
  • 'Blood drop' pin:  Through Jesus' blood we can enter the sanctuary (1st reading)
  • 'Heart' clip:  Approach with sincere heart, clean of evil... (1st reading, psalm)
  • Blue and white shirt:  ...and bodies washed in pure water (1st reading); the Lord founded the earth upon the seas (psalm); white for St. John Bosco
  • 'Alps' pin:  Who can ascend the Lord's mountain? (psalm)
  • 'Hands' pin:  Those with sinless hands (psalm)
  • 'Prize' pin:  They'll receive a reward from God (psalm)
  • 'Earth' tie with faces:  Don't stay away from the assembly (1st reading); the Lord's are the earth and its fullness; this is the people that longs to see your face (psalm); St. John Bosco cared for youth; Catholic Schools Week
  • 'Street light' tie bar:  A lamp is to be placed on a stand; all will come to light (gospel)
  • 'Eyeball' pin:  All will be made visible (gospel)
  • 'Rulers' suspenders:  The measure you measure will be measured to you (gospel)
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