JANUARY 5

Peter Enria used to relate the following: "a companion of mine once told me in confidence that once, on falling into a grave fault, he did not wish to be seen by Don Bosco. But one day he met him by chance and Don Bosco addressing him with the utmost paternal affability said: "you do not dare to come near me because you have committed a grave sin." He told him exactly what it was. No one of earth could have come to know his fault by any natural means. So surprised was the penitent that he begged Don Bosco to hear his Confession and he turned over a new leaf. At other times during the evening recreation Don Bosco used to approach one and whisper something in his ear, and that boy immediately after night prayers would, before going to bed, go to the sacristy or room of Don Bosco and there make his confession.  

This gift of knowing the spiritual condition of certain boys, which God granted to Don Bosco, was always with him throughout his whole life, so much so that from time to time he would not hesitate to remind his pupils of it In the year 1869, while speaking after night prayers to the whole community which numbered nine hundred in all, among whom more than one hundred were men of learning and sound judgment, he said "I have received from God the gift of searching out hypocrites. When one of these approaches me, I have a nauseating feeling which I cannot bear. They themselves perceive my pain, and it is from this reason that they fly from me."  

Facts continue to bear witness to the truth of this statement. One morning in the year 1870 the boys on seeing Don Bosco come out of church gathered around him in great numbers. Although many priests had helped him in hearing the confessions of his boys he was very tired on account of the great number of penitents who had gone to him. Nevertheless he chatted graciously with all of them. Then all of a sudden he turned to a boy and drawing the first finger of his right hand across his brow he said smilingly: "you did not wash your face this morning". "Yes I did, Don Bosco" "But no, you did not," Don Bosco smilingly replied, "drawing at the same time the letter "o" on his brow as if to emphasize the word 'Noooooo'. Then he began to whisper something in his ear and the boy lowering his head became thoughtful. What Don Bosco told him was that he ought to have gone to confession that morning but he had not done so. Fr. Augustine Parigi who narrated this fact was present when this happened.