All the wonderful works done by
our saintly Father and Founder find their natural explanation in his deep
humility. Don Bosco believed himself a nothing but felt himself strong with the
power of God and the favor of Our Lady help of Christians. That is why he could
surmount obstacles of any kind and carry out the very idea of that earned for
him the title of mad man from those who did not know well the ways of God. His
Lordship Bishop Rosaz of Susa
Here is Don Bosco himself:
"If our Lord had found a more unfit instrument than me for the
accomplishment of His works and provided it would be disposed to abandon itself
to His Divine Providence, He would have chosen it instead of me and would have
been better served than by me and would have worked still more wonders."
(BM VIII, 977)
Humbly he would exclaim
whenever he had to speak of his virtues and works: "let us not insult God
and Our Lady Help of Christians,. II that affair came out well, if our
activities are advancing, we owe it all to God and His Holy Mother. We are
ungrateful if we attribute to ourselves the success of any undertaking and we
make ourselves unworthy of the help of God." Another witness we cite is
the venerated Cardinal Cagliero: "Don Bosco possessed the virtue of humility
and practiced it to an eminent degree. He felt and spoke lowly of himself and
willingly embraced humiliations. He was wont to recount the humble condition of
his family; how he had to gain his livelihood by the sweat of his brow, how
through a thousand difficulties he was able to finish his studies with the help
of beneficent people, especially Fr. Cafasso. He spoke of all this with a
relish and delight as if it were a glory and a family ambition, so much so that
he etched deep in our hearts a great love for this virtue preached and
practiced by Jesus himself." (BM IV, 654)
Take a good look at the
examples of our holy Founder and strive to strive to develop in yourselves a
great love for the virtue of humility. Make efforts to acquire this to a great
degree.
"When, through his
failings, a man humbles himself, then he easily please others and satisfies
those who are angry with him. God protects the humble man and delivers him. He
loves and consoles him; He bends down towards him; He bestows His bounty on
him; and after the humiliation He lifts him up to glory. To the humble man He
reveals His secrets and sweetly inviting him draws him to Himself. The humble
man is in a great peace amidst trouble, because he leans on God and not on the
world. Never think that you have made any progress until you feel the desire to
be lower than others." (Imitation Bk. II Ch 2)
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