Gospel in Art: Feast of Saint John Bosco
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Saint John Bosco and his Children, by Paolo Giovanni Crida, 1957, Mural in Church of Basilica Maria Ausiliatrice © Alamy / Christian Art
Source: Christian Art
Gospel of 31 January 2025
Mark 4:26-34
At that time: Jesus said to the crowd: 'The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.'
And he said, 'With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.'
With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it. He did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.
Reflection on the church mural painting
Today, we celebrate the Feast of Saint John Bosco (1815-1888), a remarkable figure known for his unwavering dedication to the welfare of young people. Born in Northern Italy during a period of upheaval following the Napoleonic Wars, he grew up amidst widespread drought, famine, and poverty. Orphaned at the age of two, young John aspired to become a priest but faced significant challenges due to his family's destitution and his lack of formal education. A turning point came when a kind priest befriended him, teaching him to read and write and providing him with a few books. Through determination and self-teaching, John eventually entered the seminary, and after six years of study and discernment, he was ordained a priest in 1841 at the age of 26.
Assigned to Turin, Father John Bosco devoted himself to working with the poor, particularly children living in dire conditions. With the help of his mother, who became a key partner in his ministry, he provided lodging, food, and education to over 800 children by the 1860s. Recognising the importance of structure and community, he founded the Society of St. Francis de Sales in 1859, dedicated to educating and uplifting disadvantaged youth. Canonised on Easter Sunday in 1934, Saint John Bosco was honoured with the title "Father and Teacher of Youth" in recognition of his transformative work.
Our mural by Paolo Crida, located in the Basilica Maria Auxiliatrice in Turin, tenderly portrays Saint John Bosco surrounded by the children he helped to lift out of poverty, guiding them toward education and employment. The image encapsulates his life's mission of love and service.
I leave you with these words from Saint John Bosco, spoken to a group of teenagers in the 1860s:
'Look, you will soon face a dangerous crisis; the devil will try to ensnare you. To start with, he will tell you that frequent Communion is good for children, not for adults, and that once in a great while is quite enough for you. Then he will do his best to keep you from sermons by making you feel bored by God's words. He will convince you that certain things are not sinful. Then you'll have to tussle with friends and what they might say, with [dangerous] readings, with your own passions, and so on. Be on your guard. Do not let the devil rob you of that peace of mind and purity of soul which makes you God's friends!'.
Saint John Bosco, pray for us.
LINKS
Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's Reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/mark-4-26-34-2025/