By Sr. Teresa Joseph, FMA –
St. John Bosco, fondly called Don Bosco, friend, father and teacher of youth often used to remind: “O my children, how great is Divine Providence! How generous God is to us! How much He loves us! Let us always be grateful and good! Let us love Him and never offend Him! In turn He will always provide for our needs.” He founded the Salesians of Don Bosco, together with Maria Domenica Mazzarello he founded the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians. Don Bosco established the Association of Mary Help of Christians (ADMA) to encourage veneration of the Most Holy Sacrament and Mary Help of Christians. He founded a movement of laity, the Association of Salesianh Cooperators.
Trust in Divine Providence is the Salesian way of being and operating. In our educational mission among the needy young, like Don Bosco and Maria Mazzarello, we look up to Divine Providence to intervene.
Watch video below: Creating Ripples of the FMA India Impact
A Beautiful House
What is truly amazing as the seven Provinces of the Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco, India, are deeply committed to the three-year preparation leading to the celebration of the Centenary of the arrival of the First Missionaries to India, is that much before the arrival of the missionaries a beautiful house was just waiting to welcome them.
What a lovely surprise to know that: “Fr. Eugenio Mederlet – later Archbishop of Madras wrote to Fr. Rinaldi and Mother Daghero telling them he had already bought a suitable house for the FMA… right in front of the Parish Church thanks to a good generous Parisian lady, Madame Duflot, in memory of her husband who had died in India.” Divine Providence has a unique way to reach and touch hearts. Whose eyes will not well up with tears of gratitude to recognize that “The same lady later contacted Mother Daghero offering to pay the expenses of the missionaries’ journey?”
In the midst of economic meltdown and globalization
Can we muse on Divine Providence in the midst of economic meltdown and globalization? As we see before our eyes, the rich nations becoming richer and the poor persons becoming poorer, it is indeed a challenge to reflect on Divine Providence and to live a life of conscious surrender to God. This means falling in love with Divine Providence over and over again as we recognize and acknowledge daily miracles of life and love. How often we affirm like Abraham our father in faith: God will provide. From where do we receive this assurance? Certainly from that seed of faith deep within our heart that blossom into fullness thanks to the interventions of God in our lives.
Cherishing the memory of our benefactors and thanking God
In Don Bosco’s heart the benefactors had a special place. God makes His graciousness visible through benefactors. While I am at the computer writing this article, I received a message from Maram: “People said that God has come to visit us today.”(photos attached) Madame Duflot is remembered today with special gratitude by us the 2500 Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco spread all over India and a good number of our Sisters working in the various missions abroad. Today, when we feel the pinch of lack of means to respond to the challenges we face in some of our mission stations, it is not only comforting but also soul-lifting to know that much before the arrival of the Salesian Sisters in India a beautiful house was ready for them. A house and then Madame Duflot was so generous to pay for the expenses of the missionaries’ journey. It is a Salesian tradition to remember all our benefactors in our prayer and to intercede with the Lord to bless them and their near and dear ones.
Jesus the highest expression of God’s Loving Providence
God so loved the world that He sent His only Son to the world. Fixing our gaze on Jesus, we learn from Him to have an intimate relationship with God our loving Father. Christmas is a special time that invites us to enter into deeper intimacy with the Lord. God thought of a house for the Salesian Sisters much before their arrival. From that first beautiful house of the Salesian Sisters, God’s Loving Providence continues to accompany us and the number of our houses keep growing. We have witnessed the impossible become possible in our daily mission among the needy youngsters. All we can do is in awesome wonder, to bow our head in gratitude and invoke Your blessings on all our benefactors far and near dear Lord.