Humility
Don Bosco always cherished the memory of his humble beginnings even as he moved higher in learning on the road towards the priesthood. The memory helped him to open his heart to the poor and the abandoned who, like his own family, had to struggle to make ends meet. He learned humility from others as well. As a young priest he read the texts of some of his sermons to his mother to check if simple people like her would understand what he was saying.
This is an excerpt from https://sites.google.com/site/dbway2010/don-bosco/personality
A mysterious dream at the age of nine left an indelible mark on his life. He saw himself amidst scruffy street kids who were fighting and using abusive language.
Intending to stop them he jumped into the fray hitting out wildly with his fists. Suddenly, a majestic personage stood in their midst and stopped him short. He entrusted Johnny to his mother, a beautiful lady who appeared by his side. She would teach John how to change the ‘wild animals’ into ‘gentle lambs’. There and then, Mary, the mother of Jesus, began her first lesson: “Johnny”, she said, “not through violence, but with loving kindness.” She instructed him to prepare well for a great mission by becoming “humble, steadfast and strong”.
John saw in this dream a divine commission to work for young people especially those who were poor and abandoned. He decided to become a priest – in imitation of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, totally dedicated to caring for underprivileged youth. Everywhere in the rapidly industrialising city of Turin, he saw the urgency of his call. He grew concerned about the different forms of human misery that were affecting vulnerable young people the most. There were hungry and lonely orphans, uneducated and unemployed urchins, migrant youth from rural areas in search of work, young victims of abuse by unscrupulous adults. He began reaching out to them in the by-lanes and market places of the city. He brought them to a safe and secure place at Valdocco, which he called the ‘Oratory of St. Francis de Sales’. It was his very first educational enterprise - the first step in the realisation of his dream.
Kitch cafe would be closing or changing managements. It was sad, but the good thing about this is that when I passed by Don Bosco coffee shop, the man said that this will reopen tomorrow. Wow! My peace of heaven would be opened. It is the place where I do my date with God and I'm excited.
Also, I felt peace after doing my sacred half hour in Don Bosco Adoration chapel.
The second non-negotiable quality of my O.T.L. should be humble and confident. He should have the loving kindness to the youth and street children.
6:41PM
9/11/2012
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