杏MAP导航

By Debora Donnini

Priests should be joyful and see things from both a human and a divine perspective, as St John Bosco did. That was 杏MAP导航 Francis鈥� message during Thursday鈥檚 Mass at the Casa Santa Marta. He encouraged priests to imitate Don Bosco, who looked upon reality with the heart of a father and of a teacher, as we read in the opening prayer. It was a perspective that showed him the way forward: he was moved at the sight of the poor young boys in the streets, and looked for ways to help them grow. He walked with them, and he wept with them.

Seeing with human eyes and the eyes of God

杏MAP导航 Francis recalled that on the day of his ordination, Don Bosco鈥檚 mother 鈥� a humble woman of the land, 鈥渨ho had never studied in the faculty of theology鈥� 鈥� said to him: 鈥淭oday you will begin to suffer.鈥� She wanted to emphasize a reality, but also catch his attention; because if her son did not recognize suffering, it would mean things were not going well. 鈥淚t is a prophecy of a mother,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 said. For a priest, then, suffering is a sign that things are going well 鈥� not because he is acting the part of 鈥渁 fakir鈥�, but because he has the courage, like St John Bosco, to look upon reality with the human eyes and with the eyes of God. In a 鈥渕asonic age,鈥� an age of 鈥減riest-eaters鈥�, he saw 鈥渁 closed-off aristocracy, where the poor were really the poor, the discarded, he saw those young boys on the streets and said 鈥榯his cannot be!鈥欌��

He saw with the eyes of a man, a man who is a brother but also a father, and he said, 鈥淣o, things can鈥檛 go on like this! These young boys might end up on the gallows, [ministered to] by Don Cafasso鈥� no, things can鈥檛 go on like this.鈥� And he was moved as a man, and as a man he began to think of ways to raise the youngsters, to make the young boys grow. Human paths. And then, he had the courage to see with the eyes of God, and to go to God and say, 鈥淢ake me see this鈥� this is an injustice鈥� how do I deal with this鈥� You have created these people for a fullness, and they are in the midst of a real tragedy鈥︹�� And so, seeing reality with the love of a father 鈥� a father and teacher, today鈥檚 liturgy says 鈥� and seeing God with the eyes of a beggar who asks for light, he began to go forward.

Don Giuseppe Cafasso comforted the prisoners in Turin in the 19^th century and often followed those condemned to death to the gallows. He was a great friend of St John Bosco.

A priest close at hand

The priest, then, should have 鈥渢hese two polarities,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 said: 鈥渢o look upon reality with human eyes,鈥� and with 鈥渢he eyes of God.鈥� And this means 鈥渟pending a lot of time before the tabernacle鈥�:

Looking in this way made him see the path, so that he wasn鈥檛 going simply with the Catechism and the Crucifix: 鈥淒o this鈥︹�� with the boys saying, 鈥淕ood night, see you later.鈥� No, no. He drew close to them, with their liveliness. He played games with them, he put them in groups, like brothers. And in this way he went forth, he walked with them. The priest who looks on the people in a human way, who is always at hand.

Not an employee or a functionary

杏MAP导航 Francis emphasized that priests should not be functionaries, or simply employees with set office hours. 鈥淲e have plenty of good officials,鈥� he said, 鈥渨ho do their jobs, as officials must. But the priest is not a functionary, he cannot be.鈥� The 杏MAP导航 then called on priests to see with human eyes 鈥� and, he promised, 鈥測ou will receive that sentiment, that wisdom of understanding that they are your children, your brothers and sisters. And then, [you will] have the courage of going out there to fight. The priest is the one who struggles with God.鈥�

The Holy Father acknowledged, 鈥淭here is always the risk of regarding the human at the expense of the divine, or the divine at the expense of the human.鈥� However, he warned, 鈥渋f we do not take the risk, we won鈥檛 accomplish anything in life.鈥� This certainly entails a degree of suffering; persecution and gossip begin: 鈥淪ee that priest standing there, in the street,鈥� with those poorly behaved children, who 鈥渨ill break my window鈥� with their games.

Don Bosco, teacher of joy

杏MAP导航 Francis thanked God for the gift of Don Bosco, who began to work as a child, and knew what it meant to earn his bread each day. He understood what true piety was. God gave Don Bosco a great heart, the 杏MAP导航 said in conclusion, the heart of a father and a teacher:

And what is the sign that a priest is doing well, seeing reality with human eyes and with the eyes of God? Joy. When a priest does not find joy within, he should stop immediately and ask himself why. And Don Bosco鈥檚 joy is known, eh? Because he made others joyful, and rejoiced himself. And he suffered. Today, let us ask the Lord, through the intercession of Don Bosco, for the grace for our priests to be joyful: joyful so that they have the true sense of looking at things regarding pastoral ministry, the people of God with human eyes and with the eyes of God.