Saint John Bosco

[Patricia]

The following is an excerpt from the autobiography of St. John Bosco. About an experience he had at school in Chieri. I find this incident very amusing . It shows his God given talents , something that he will use for God's glory and also we identify with the boy and student in him as he tries to hide his mistake from his teacher.


After a couple of months in this class, something happened that gave rise to some comment about me. One day the teacher was explaining the life of Agesilaus in Cornelius Nepos. I did not have my book with me that day, and to cover my forgetfulness, I kept my Donate open in front of me. My companions noticed, and first one and then another began to laugh. Suddenly the whole classroom was in an uproar.
"What's going on here?" shouted the teacher. "What's going on?" he shot at me, this time. Everyone was looking at me. He told me to construe the text and repeat his explanation. I got to my feet, still holding my Donate. From memory I repeated the text, construed it, and explained it. Instinctively my companions expressed their admiration and burst into applause. The teacher was angry beyond description. It was the first time, according to him, that he had failed to maintain discipline. He swung at me, but I saw it coming and ducked. Next he placed his hand on my Donate and demanded of my neighbours the reason for all the commotion.
"Bosco had his Donato in front of him all the time," my companions explained, "but he read and explained the lesson as if he had the Cornelius text." The teacher took the Donato and insisted I go on for two sentences more. Then he said to me, "In tribute to your wonderful memory, I'll overlook your forgetfulness. You're blessed. Only see that your gift is put to good use."
At the end of that school year (1830-1831)  as a result of my high marks, I was promoted to the third class, equivalent to the third year of ginnasio.

[Shin]

 

What a wonderful memory he had! God gave him so many talents!

[Patricia]

The oil patch spreads  Excerpt from 'Don Bosco - a new biography  By Teresio Bosco Translated by C. Moja

     Every Thursday, Margaret used to go to the market at Castelnuovo. She would set out with bundles containing cheese, chicken, vegetables and other farm odds and ends for sale. In the evening she would come back with cloth, candles, salt and some little present for the boys. The boys knew the time and they would tear down the path to meet her.
    One memorable Thursday, during a most exciting game of tip-cat, the wooden peg ended up on the roof. John was quick:
     "There's another one on the kitchen cupboard."
     He ran for it. The cupboard was, however, too high for him. He had to use a chair, stand on tip-toe, and stretch. Crash! The big jar of oil which was kept on the shelf fell to the ground, and the oil stain began spreading all over the red tiles.
     Joseph came running to see what happened. "What will mother say?" he said.
     The brothers worked frantically to clean up the mess. The shards were easily gathered up. But the oil kept spreading, and there was nothing they could do about it.
     John spent a half hour in silence. Then he pulled out his penknife, went to the hedge, and selected a long, flexible twig. As he sat carving little rings and designs on it, he was thinking of  what to say to his mother.
     At dusk they saw their mother arriving. Joseph, hesitant, fell back a bit. John ran towards her.
     "Good evening, mamma, how are you feeling? Had a nice day?"
     "Yes, yes. And you boys, you have behaved, I hope?"
     "Well, mamma, look at this....," said John, presenting her with the rod he had kept hidden behind his back.
     "What is it this time?"
     "This time I really deserve a caning. I've broken the jar of oil." He reeled out the whole story.
     "I've brought you a cane, because this time I really deserve it. Take it, mamma."
     He offered her the cane with such a look, that his mother could not help laughing. John joined in, relieved. Margaret took him by the hand, and together they walked up the slope towards the house.
     "Do you know you are becoming a first class rascal, Johnny? I feel bad about the oil jug. But I am glad you told me the whole truth. Be careful in future: you know how expensive oil is."
     Joseph also drew near, now that the storm had blown over.

 

[Shin]

I love this little passage, the honesty in it.

I read an article recently about 'scientists discovering' that 'babies have a moral sense' that 'according to psychologists, they have already developed a sense of moral code - and can tell the difference between good and evil' and demonstrated it by punishing bad puppets and preferring good ones.

And I have to laugh.

People today are 'discovering' things that are within every single person, and always have been, and always will be.

Justice and punishment, good and evil. We know John here is a good boy, we just know it.

[Patricia]

What distinguishes him as a Saint is the fact that he acknowledges his fault and is  ready for his punishment, even delivering the dreaded cane to his mother.

[martin]

Its comforting to know just how human the saints were.
They just reacted to normal everyday happenings but done so with the love of God in their hearts 

[Patricia]

Excerpt from ' Forty Dreams of St. John Bosco'

A Horned Cat


     Two or three nights ago I had a dream.   Would you like to hear it ? You are very dear to me, and so you are always in my dreams.  I seemed to be in a playground with you swarming around me. Each one held a rose, a lily, a violet, or both a rose, a lily, or some other flower.  Suddenly, a huge, ugly cat, black as coal, appeared.  It had horns, eyes as red as live coals, long sharp claws and a disgustingly swollen belly.  This ugly beast edged stealthily close to you and swiftly clawed your flowers to the ground.  When I first spotted this hideous creature, I was terrified, but to my astonishment you seemed totally unconcerned.  Seeing it creep towards me to  knock my flowers down, I immediately turned to dash off, but someone stopped me.  " Don't run away," he said.
" Hasten to tell your boys to raise their arms up high beyond the beast's reach."
     I did as he told me.  The monster tried hard to jump up, but its weight made it fall back clumsily to the ground.
     The lily, my dear sons, symbolizes the beautiful virtue of purity, against which the devil wages endless war.  Woe to those who keep their flower low !  The devil will snatch it from them.  Such are those who pamper their flesh by overeating or eating between meals, who shirk work and idle away their time, who are fond of certain conversations or books and who shun self-denial......For goodness' sake, my children, fight this enemy or it will enslave you.
     These victories are hard to win.  But Holy Scripture tells us the means to use : " This kind (of devil) can be cast out only by prayer and fasting." ( Matt. 17:20 )   Raise your arm, and your flower shall be safe.  Purity is a heavenly virtue.  Whoever wishes to safeguard it must rise himself heavenward.  Prayer is your salvation.  By prayer I mean your morning and night prayers devoutly said, meditation and Holy Mass, frequent Confession and Communion, sermons and exhortations, visits to the Blessed Sacrament, the Rosary and your school duties.   By prayer you will rise heavenward.  Thus you will safeguard the most beautiful of virtues.  Try as much as he wants, the devil will not be able to snatch it from you.
     

[Shin]

Hmmm. I am trying to remember if the cat is a symbol of impurity from way back in Judaism. It might be.

If I could only find a reference!

[Patricia]

Hmmm. I am trying to remember if the cat is a symbol of impurity from way back in Judaism. It might be.

If I could only find a reference!

I'd like to know that. Its also could be the ugly beast Satan with its horns.
Lilies symbolize purity. What could violets and roses symbolize?

[Brigid]

Roses symbolize martyrdom and violets symbolize humility.

[Shin]

Roses symbolize martyrdom and violets symbolize humility.

Good show! That's good to know! 

[Patricia]

A Human Club   Excerpt from Teresio Bosco's  ' Don Bosco'

A teacher was late once again,  and the usual hullabaloo started.

     Some of the boys wanted to give a beating to Comollo and another boy,  Anthony Candelo.   I told them to leave them in peace, but they would not listen.  Insults began to fly.  I broke in:
     " The next one who utters a foul word will have to reckon with me."
     Some of  the bigger boys made a wall in front of me, while two slaps landed on Comollo's face.  I lost my head. Finding neither a stick nor a chair at hand, I grabbed one of the boys by the shoulders and, using him as a club, I began swinging away at the rest.
     Four fell to the ground and the others scattered shouting.
     At that moment the teacher entered, and seeing arms and legs flying about everywhere in an infernal din, he began shouting and giving blows left and right.
     When the storm abated a bit, he asked what was going on.   Not believing what was told, he asked me to repeat the feat.  He burst out laughing, and forgot about punishing us.
     As soon as Comollo could find me alone, he said to me:  " Your strength frightens me.  God did not give it to you to massacre your companions.  He wants us to forgive and to repay evil with good."

     John listened, and followed Comollo to confession. But turning the other cheek never came easy to him.  He would force himself to it, but it would never become something congenial to him.
He would have to repeat himself very often the words of the dream, " Not by blows but with kindness will you conquer your friends."

[Shin]

St. John Bosco reminds me of St. Francis de Sales in many ways.. but of course there is more than one good reason for that.

The book of his dreams is very good (and entertaining) reading!

[Brigid]

St. John Bosco reminds me of St. Francis de Sales in many ways.. but of course there is more than one good reason for that.

The book of his dreams is very good (and entertaining) reading!

Did St. Francis de Sales teach him (in dreams or in reality)?

[martin]

I've noticed that when the Lord can't get through to me during the day He sometimes gets the point across in a dream and I think, Lord am I so unteachable that I need to be sedated before I can learn anything.. You know like in some institutions when a disturbed patient gets out of control and all the nurses hold him down while the Dr administers the medication.   
Does anyone else have dreams of that kind? I know you've mentioned one Brigid.

[Brigid]

I've had a couple other super powerful dreams about things having to do with moral matters. Even tho' they were a number of years ago I can still remember them fairly clearly. My stubbornness must be a real frustration to Him!!

I must start doing a clearer evening prayer time. My morning prayer time is set and I make 'arrow' prayers all day long, but no set evening prayer as St. Bosco taught.