I've been doing some soul searching and reflection in view of the Brothers' Congress. But it is all in bits and pieces. Several other things keep cluttering my mind before I reach anywhere close to having a comprehensive idea about any particular thing. Anyway, the latest to hit me was this: What if means become an end?
Don Bosco wanted to save souls of the boys. Only souls? Certainly no! The whole person, the whole boy. For this he was willing to go to any extent, to do anything... ANYTHING!
His goal and motive were far beyond getting the boys to Church, to Communion, to confession ... these were only the means, not the end!
As and when these didn't work, he employed some other means: he gambled, he danced, told stories, played music, performed tricks and even stole or fought. His motive was divine, not his approach (by any standards then, not by any standards today)! His mind was pious, not the Salesian society (check the introductory note of Fr Lens to the abridged Annals of the Salesian Soceity). In short, he was a reckless founder for whom the means didn't matter, as long as He was with his boys and for the good of his boys.
Don Bosco wanted to save souls of the boys. Only souls? Certainly no! The whole person, the whole boy. For this he was willing to go to any extent, to do anything... ANYTHING!
His goal and motive were far beyond getting the boys to Church, to Communion, to confession ... these were only the means, not the end!
As and when these didn't work, he employed some other means: he gambled, he danced, told stories, played music, performed tricks and even stole or fought. His motive was divine, not his approach (by any standards then, not by any standards today)! His mind was pious, not the Salesian society (check the introductory note of Fr Lens to the abridged Annals of the Salesian Soceity). In short, he was a reckless founder for whom the means didn't matter, as long as He was with his boys and for the good of his boys.
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