Fifth day
“Before God the Father I
ask that he may grant you to be strengthened with might through is
Spirit that you may be rooted and grounded in love.” (Eph. 3, 16-17)
A Time for Courage
The
rising bell in the morning rang very early at the Oratory of Valdocco.
Youngsters got out of bed invoking God’s blessing on the new day that
was beginning (but there were those who usually lazed and grumbled…and
turned over...).
The students were divided into
two groups: those who had classes in the Oratory itself and those who
went out of the Oratory to the famous school of Professor Bonzanino.
The
latter (including Dominic Savio) exited the Oratory gate and after a
fairly brisk walk came to via Barbaroux where the professor waited for
them to begin the lesson.
An alumnus Xavier Fino
remembers: “Professor Bonzanino was tall and well built. His neck was
held together with a cravat and his well shaved broad face sported a
kind and serene smile.
“During class, atop that
broad face towered a skullcap and a pair of glasses which gave him a
good-natured appearance, all the accoutrements of a professorial
character.”
On the benches before him sat the
sons of the rich and noble families of Turin who came from distinguished
private schools which charged very high fees. Some arrived at his
classes every morning in carriages.
In addition
to the children of the rich and the noble the professor accepted Don
Bosco’s poor students for free. The only condition that was imposed on
them was that before they entered school they were to remove their
rust-coloured soldiers’ capes that they wore to protect themselves from
the rain or snow. They were old military capes donated to Don Bosco by
the Ministry of War and which gave off a pungent and musty odour in
which the wearer assumed the vague appearance of smuggler.
At
the end of the scholastic year, Bonzanino’s students answered their
exams that then came to be called “liceo Gioberti.” The results were
always significant and had the added prestige of prof. Bonzanino’s
school.
So, it was at that school to which
Dominic came to be in the company of the grandchildren of Minister
Pietro Derossi della Santa Rosa, the sons of the deputy Brofferio, the
young Count Ottavio Bosco Ruffino, the youngsters Caesar and Coriolanus
of the noble family of Ponza of San Martino.
Was Dominic a misfit in such company? Here’s what Professor Bonzanino wrote:
“I
cannot recall having had a more attentive, docile and respectful
student than Dominic Savio. His attire and his hair were not
sophisticated at all. He was humble and modestly dressed and appeared
clean, well-mannered and polite so that even his companions of noble
standing enjoyed being in his company.”
Indeed,
as also among the sons of the nobles there were scoundrels and prof.
Bonzanino tried to put one next to Dominic; Count Ottavio Ruffino was
one of those. Years later he recalled: “How many times, watching him, I
felt urged make an extra effort to listen to the lectures of the
professor...”
In spring, the boys often
challenged each other. This happened even in Bonzanino’s school. Every
now and then they threw challenges at each other: “Let’s see what you
can do, if you’re not a coward.” “I’ll smash your face” and they would
have it out just outside the classroom.
But one
day things got serious. Two of them actually began to provoke each
other. There were some insolent exchanges. Then one of them got to awful
idea of insulting the family (probably from nobility) of his companion.
It
was a very cowardly act. The other turned very angry and though he
smiled back, the conclusion was that this had now turned into a
full-blown duel. What made the episode more serious was that the two
contenders did not want to fight there and then. Their desire for
revenge ran cold and deep. Both of them wanted to really hurt each other
and so they decided to meet far away from the public eye in a meadow
near the Citadel. A hurled stone could cause perilous damage to the
victim’s head. No one was told about this but the two whispered: “What
if someone speaks, yours will be the first head to roll!” And they were
not joking.
Dominic too was aware of the duel.
While the others “washed their hands” in cowardly fashion, Dominic
understood that this time it was necessary to “love with courage” those
two companions of his.
He approached the two
“enemies” trying to make them understand that they were seriously
offending the Lord. They ignored him. They replied that the “honour” of
their families was at stake and that honour had to be restored by blood.
Dominic wrote each of them a note: he said that if they continued to
want to carry out this great transgression he would inform the
professor. The two pocketed the notes and immediately after school made
their way to the meadow near the Citadel. They were accompanied by their
“friends” who instead of trying to make peace were eager to “enjoy the
show.”
Each of the duellists had chosen their
chaperons at the duel who chose their weapons for them: ten stones to be
divided between the duellists. Then they measured twenty paces away
from each other and marked of the place where each of them had to
position themselves.
While these preliminaries
were taking place, someone went and called Dominic. He came running and
pushed his way through the crowd of “spectators” and entered the free
space between the duellists.
- Go on, throw! –
He shouted at the one who was supposed to throw the first stone. – Get
out of the way. I’ll deal with that coward. It’s useless to preach me a
sermon.
Dominic looked sad. What was he to do? A
thought flashed through his mind. He pulled out the small crucifix he
had around his neck and ran to the duellist nearer to him:
-
Look at this Crucifix! – He shouted. And now, if you dare, repeat with
me, “Jesus, you died forgiving his executioners. I instead will not
forgive him; I want to take my revenge.”
The boy looked at him and mumbled:
- But what can I do?
Dominic walked the twenty steps that separated him from the other and repeated the same thing to him in a tone of command:
-
Look at this Crucifix! And if you dare, repeat: “Jesus died forgiving
his executioners. I instead will not forgive him; I want to take my
revenge.”
This second boy was a good lad, and he gasped. Dominic took him by the hand and drew them towards each other:
-
But why do you want to hurt each other? Why do you want to upset your
parents and to the Lord? You are Christians and you do not have the
capacity to forgive an insult said in a moment of rage!
Now
Dominic was silent but he continued to stare sadly at the two
“enemies.” He was still clutching in his hand the small crucifix. The
duel did not happen. One of those two was more sensible. He still
remembered that moment: “I was ashamed to have forced such a good friend
to use such extreme measures to prevent this sad misadventure and I
forgave the one who had offended me.”
Dominic
said nothing more. He went off serene and smiling. At a truly difficult
moment he was very brave. He was courageous in the simple events of
everyday life.
Time for Reflection
Youngsters
of all ages have their groups of friends. Generally in the group they
might either be courageous getting into mischief or they might be
ashamed of doing good. Youngsters are tremendously frightened of being
“cheated” by others when it comes to acting out of courage, kindness or
in a Christian manner. They prefer to do what “sheep” do, hide among
others meekly doing what the “boss” says and not have the courage to
think independently and do the right thing. Dominic was not like that.
He was a brave boy. He did not care if he was ‘teased’. He did what he
thought best to do, even if it cost him. It is one of a young man’s best
qualities at all times. In modern terms it means “having the courage of
one’s convictions.”
What kind of a person are you? Are you a “sheep” or are you a man?
Moment of prayer
St.
Dominic Savio, you had the good fortune of being educated by Don Bosco,
who taught his boys to be courageous. He would say: “To do good you
have to have a little courage, to be ready to suffer some mortification.
Bad boys are very courageous when the good boys are frightened. Be
brave and you will see bad boys flee.” Help me not to be “a sheep” that
meekly does what others do; but may I be “courageous,” one who has the
courage of his convictions.
*SANCTITY*
Dear
St Dominic, you have proved by life that all can become saints and that
real SANCTITY does not require deeds beyond our reach. Like you, I
want to be a saint by practicing virtue in the usual things of every day
in obedience to my superiors; in daily prayer; in doing y duties; in
frequent confession and communion. Pray for me that I may not weaken in
the face of difficulties but that I may seek strength in God’s grace.
Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be,
St Dominic Savio, Pray for us.
No comments:
Post a Comment