Joseph Cafasso, discernment and compassion

Some interesting facts learnt this morning... 

As we commemorate the feast of St Joseph Cafasso, a trusted confessor of Don Bosco during his early years of theological studies and priesthood, I learnt that 

• Fr Cafasso was merely four years older to Don Bosco
• That Fr Cafasso passed away in his late forties. 

I always thought of him as someone much older than Don Bosco.  Of course, Don Bosco himself was no teenager around his ordination, but still for someone that young to be able to guide Don Bosco in his early stages of vocation and apostolate, especially with such great influence and finesse, is truly remarkable.  

That grace of discernment, helping oneself and others discern one's life-choices is something that has always fascinated me.  I greatly admire those people who have a great sense of calmness about how they do it, the depths which they see and the paths they help others walk on.  

Fr Cafasso came from a rather poor family.  His delicate health did not make things any better for him.  However, he was able to convert that personal pain into compassion for others.  Those struggles and challenging experiences of his life, he was able to transform into meaningful lessons for himself and also for others too. That's something! That's truly some grace and effort.