Don Bosco's Trust
By Andy Gonzalez
Like most people, I dream regularly. Every night when I go to bed, there’s a dream waiting for me. Personally, these dreams have never been mystical experiences. I’ve yet to see Jesus or the Blessed Mother in one, but looking at the life of Don Bosco, his dreams have had an influence on how I live my life. Yes, as an alumnus from a Salesian high school, I have personally benefited from Don Bosco’s response to these dreams. Though most importantly, Don Bosco’s willing and enthusiastic response to God speaking to him through his dreams has taught me how to trust God completely.
Just picture it:
You’re nine years old and Mother Mary comes to you in a dream to tell you to take care of her son’s lambs. Nine years old. What do you do? Do you wake up and shake it off as nothing but a dream? Do you think about it for a while and forget about it? Do you jump enthusiastically at the opportunity she has given you?
Just from personal experience, I can say I’d struggle and maybe even try to justify saying “no.” There’s no possible way I am being called for this. So I run away. Not the ideal response, but an honest one. But what did Giovanni Bosco do? Maybe he wrestled with it. That’s a natural response. At least, I hope he wrestled with it like most of us would. In the end though, whether or not he doubted, whether or not he thought he wasn’t good enough or couldn’t possibly be called to serve, he said “yes.” He responded to the Lord’s call for him.
This wasn’t just a one-time thing. If you read his life story and his writings, Don Bosco had dreams with mystical experiences his entire life and depended on those dreams and visions to guide his ministry. He may not have known what the future held for him and his boys, but he had trust that God had a plan and would see them through.
I frequently ask myself if I have that kind of trust. If God asked me to do something, would I do it? I like to think I would. Knowing myself, I wonder if I would let my doubt overcome my faith. There comes a time when you have to say, despite all your doubts and fears, “yes.” If Don Bosco has taught me anything, it’s that once you put your trust and faith in God’s plan, despite your doubt and questions, great things will happen.
Just picture it:
You’re nine years old and Mother Mary comes to you in a dream to tell you to take care of her son’s lambs. Nine years old. What do you do? Do you wake up and shake it off as nothing but a dream? Do you think about it for a while and forget about it? Do you jump enthusiastically at the opportunity she has given you?
Just from personal experience, I can say I’d struggle and maybe even try to justify saying “no.” There’s no possible way I am being called for this. So I run away. Not the ideal response, but an honest one. But what did Giovanni Bosco do? Maybe he wrestled with it. That’s a natural response. At least, I hope he wrestled with it like most of us would. In the end though, whether or not he doubted, whether or not he thought he wasn’t good enough or couldn’t possibly be called to serve, he said “yes.” He responded to the Lord’s call for him.
This wasn’t just a one-time thing. If you read his life story and his writings, Don Bosco had dreams with mystical experiences his entire life and depended on those dreams and visions to guide his ministry. He may not have known what the future held for him and his boys, but he had trust that God had a plan and would see them through.
I frequently ask myself if I have that kind of trust. If God asked me to do something, would I do it? I like to think I would. Knowing myself, I wonder if I would let my doubt overcome my faith. There comes a time when you have to say, despite all your doubts and fears, “yes.” If Don Bosco has taught me anything, it’s that once you put your trust and faith in God’s plan, despite your doubt and questions, great things will happen.