Yesterday the Pope began by recalling the importance of Mother Margherita, a humble woman, "who had not studied in the faculty of theology", but who was able to pronounce "a mother's prophecy" when she told Don Bosco, on the day of his ordination: "Today you will begin to suffer" - a suffering understood as a sign of commitment to the good.
Then, examining Don Bosco's apostolic action, Pope Francis observed: "In that Masonic era ... where the poor were really the poor, the “left behind”, he saw those young people on the streets and said: 'It cannot be! '... He looked with the eyes of man, who is brother and dad as well, and said:' This cannot go this way! These young people may perhaps end up like Father Cafasso, on the gallows ... '. He was moved and as a man he began to think of humane ways to make young people grow. And then, he had the courage to look with the eyes of God and go to God and say: 'You have created these people for a fullness, they are in a real tragedy ...'. And so, looking at reality with the love of a father - Father and Teacher, says today's liturgy - and looking at God with the eyes of a beggar, who asks for something of light - (luminous) - begins to move forward."
Thus, after having indicated him as a model to all the young people of the world in the WYD vigil in Panama, yesterday the Pope presented Don Bosco as an example for all priests, as an emblem of the priest who "spent so much time in front of the tabernacle" and a long time in the midst of his people.
"He did not go with the Catechism and the Crucifix only, [saying] 'do this'. No, no: he went close to them, with liveliness. He made them play, he put them in groups, like brothers ... He went, he walked with them, he heard with them, he saw them, he cried with them and he brought them along, like that."
The Pope then thanked God for Don Bosco and recalled his distinctive trait, which also represents the signal that a priest is going on the right path: "Joy. The joy of Don Bosco is known: he is the master of joy, eh? Because he made others enjoy and rejoiced himself. And he too suffered. We ask the Lord, through the intercession of Don Bosco, today, the grace that our priests are joyful: joyful because they have the true sense of looking at the things of the pastoral, the people of God with eyes of man and with the eyes of God."
As a summary of the homily, yesterday morning the Pope also tweeted: "Don Bosco had the courage to look at reality with human eyes and with the eyes of God. May every priest imitate him by seeing reality with human eyes and with the eyes of God."
