14. Predilection for the young
Our vocation is graced by a special gift of God: predilection for the young: "That you are young is enough to make me love you very much". This love is an expression of pastoral charity and gives meaning to our whole life.
For their welfare we give generously of our time, talents and health: "For you I study, for you I work, for you I live, for you I am ready even to give my life".
Predilection for the Young” is a beautiful phrase which I think captures that particular quality, that “Special Gift of God”, which gives that distinctive characteristic to our Salesian vocation and makes it quite unique. It is a quality which makes us feel completely at home in the midst of young people. Don Bosco’s phrase is very much our own, “Here in your midst I feel completely at home; my life is to be spent here amongst you.”
I am sure that the phrase “preferential option for the poor” is one we have come across before – it is a phrase used often by the Church after Vatican II, especially in Latin America. The growing awareness of the Church’s role in promoting social justice as a dimension of its evangelizing mission has led it to express its commitment and solidarity with the poor. Perhaps the life of Bishop Oscar Romero, who was shot in El Salvador for his vocal support of the poor and his denunciation of the authorities, is the best illustration of the martyrdom that such a stand could demand. The phrase speaks of a choice that is made after consideration and deliberation of different options.
Predilection is different! It comes not so much from deliberation but is rather a spontaneous response which comes straight from the heart. It implicitly presumes a relationship which is a source of joy, of delight and implies an eagerness to be in the company, in the presence of the beloved. “Where the heart is, the feet will follow,” and this is what happened to Don Bosco. He simply could not be go to the young.
We see it in the life of so many Salesians whom we have known over the years; even in their old age you see them faithfully making their way to the playground whenever the young are there for play or recreation. I still remember vividly Fr Fenech who, though he walked with great difficulty, would sit on a chair at the top of the stairs that led to the playing field so that he could greet everybody as they went out to the ground. The students, on their part, reciprocated his great affection.
It is this love, this predilection for the young that gives us a purpose to our life. Indeed in a world which has lost its sense of meaning, the greatest gift that our vocation bestows on us is that it “gives meaning to our whole life,” that it makes out of our life a whole, it brings all our endeavours together into a life project. Young people are the ‘burning bush’ which for us Salesians is the ‘holy ground’ where we have a close encounter with God and experience the ‘hesed’, love, that he has for his people. “I have heard my people cry and I have come down to deliver them.”
One year I had the opportunity to go to Taize and spend some time there. It was a powerful spiritual experience. But what touched me was not only the very beautiful chant and prayer services conducted by the Taize monks, but equally by the crowds of young people who gathered together after supper for a sing-song. For the monks these rowdy youthful gatherings were something that they tolerated, and they allowed them to be held as far away from the monastery as possible. But for me it was a moment of theophany, God revealing himself.
Indeed this quality gives us the capacity to relate to the young in a particular way, treating and respecting them as persons. We may take it for granted, but this is noticed very much by people who first come into contact with us. Once a parent of one of our students commented to me on how we Salesians have the tact of dealing with the young. He had been observing me closely as I was relaxing and talking with our students as they were waiting to be called in during Parent’s day.
People are always amazed how we could conduct Holiday camps with hundreds of children without the use of cane or corporal punishment. This is the particular contribution and witness that we Salesians bring to the Church here in West Africa – that love of the young, respecting them as persons. This is our Salesian ‘preferential for the poor’ , or much better expressed, our ‘Predilection for the young’.
We thank you, Father for having filled the heart of Don Bosco with predilection for the young: ‘That you are young’, he said to them, ‘is enough to make me love you very much’.
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