25th’
January: Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul.
(DB Novena 4th Day – Love & Punishment)
Introduction
Today’s Liturgy draws our attention
to a unique conversion of a sinner Saul to a Saint Paul. On this final day of
the Christian Unity Week, we pray for the conversion of hearts and
reconciliation among all Christian churches, to form one
flock under one Shepherd, Jesus Christ. On this fourth day of the Novena we
pray through the intercession of Don Bosco, for the conversion of our families
from brokenness and sinfulness to wholeness and holiness.
And now, because we believe that God is our compassionate and merciful
Father, who is eagerly, waiting to pardon us not punish us, let us humbly
confess our sins and pray in this Eucharist for our own conversion to communion
with Jesus.
Homily
Today’s Liturgy draws our attention
to a two thousand year old conversion story of a sinner Saul to a Saint Paul. But why celebrate a conversion? For waging a
cruel persecution against the Disciples of Christ, Saul should have been punished.
Instead, Jesus intercepts this persecutor on his way to Damascus, transforms
him with his forgiving love and enrols him among his Apostles. No punishment but pardon. That’s the story of
God’s mercy that converts every sinner and celebrates a saint. Jesus celebrated
conversions through forgiveness not punishments. The parables like the prodigal
son, the conversion stories of Peter who denied the Master, of Thomas who
doubted Christ’s resurrection, of a sinner woman, Magdalene, of the tax
collector, Zaccheus, and several others recorded in Sacred Scripture, result in
a joyous celebration of Conversions through God’s merciful pardon, not harsh punishment.
With reason, therefore, the Church
commemorates this spectacular conversion of Saul from a fanatical persecutor to
a faithful proclaimer, chiefly to focus our attention on the forgiving pedagogy
of God’s incarnate love, Jesus Christ. Won over, more by the love of the compassionate
Jesus, Saul became Paul, a committed missionary with deep convictions: I live not I, Christ lives in me; for me to
live is Christ; Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel of Love not
punishments.
Let us reflect on another 200 years
old conversion story of a fatherless, young Johnny who becomes Fr. John Bosco.
He is acclaimed today as the Father of poor and needy youth across the world.
Don Bosco claimed that he received in a dream or spiritual experience at the age of nine, not only his mission to be
an educator, but was also given a sure Guide, the Mother of mercy and a distinct educative method: Not with blows. No
punishments but pardon. To be faithful
to this sacred calling, Don Bosco also claimed that he did not take a single
step without the guidance of Mother Mary, and that he won the hearts of the
young, not by instilling in them an unholy fear of a punishing God, but by inculcating
a spirituality of the heart, based on God’s overwhelming love as
described by St. Francis de Sales, the patron Don Bosco chose for his religious
congregation.
“Spare the rod and spoil the child”,
has been an oft repeated principle since the time of the Public schools and boardings as depicted in movies
like Oliver Twist and Annie. Corporal punishments were endorsed as a salutary method
of education. It was in fact prevalent in
the 19th century. The pious Mummy of Johnny did not exclude
punishments in raising her children. DB recalls how he expected to be punished
by his mother when he had accidentally broken an oil jar. He got ready a cane
to receive a well deserved punishment. Instead, his wise Mama Margaret,
rewarded his honesty and condoned his petty crime, thus teaching the future educator
that pardon does more good than punishment for children. This conviction was
planted in his mind even in that dream or vision at the age of nine, when he
was commissioned to transform naughty children from fighting wolves into gentle
sheep, with a clear mandate: Not with blows or punishments!
Years later, reflecting on his
flourishing youth apostolate, and the growing team of Salesians, initially in
Italy, then in Europe and across the continent, Don Bosco attributed the
successs of his youth ministry to the
divinely inspired method of educating the young: Not with blows. He named
it the Preventive System of education as opposed to the Repressive system, which
was much in vogue at that time and consisted in making the rules known and then
punishing the offenders.
Based on the three pillars of
Religion, Reason and Loving Kindness, the Preventive system of Don Bosco instead,
requires the Parent or educator to be present as a father or mother, a teacher
and a friend. As a father or mother, the educator inculcates an experience of a
loving God, as a provider and caretaker, especially in the early stages of the
child’s life; then as the children grow through
the phases of restless adolescence and intellectual curiosity, the educator accompanies them by his presence as a knowledgeable and
competent Teacher, in a dialogue of reason and patience ; and all through this growing
process , the parent or educator remains present as a true Friend of the youth,
always supportive especially as they mature through the spiritual,
intellectual, moral and social challenges of adolescence, to grow into good children of God and honest citizens of the world.
Did Don Bosco talk of punishments?
Yes, he did. His writings on punishments are interesting and valuable.
“Wherever possible, never make use of punishments” he would say. “The educator
ought to love if he wishes to be feared (respected)”, was another of his
comments. “Withdrawing kindness is a punishment, but a punishment that excites emulation
that encourages one never to repeat mistakes again.” Youngsters who are mischievous find the
strength to apologize, improve their behaviour when they realize that they have
brought sadness to those who love them and whose affection they have lost.
“With youngsters,” Don Bosco would say, “that which serves as a punishment
punishes. It is observed that one look without affection at a certain youngster
has greater effect than a slap. Praise when something is done well or pointing
out the mistake is already a reward or punishment for the children” said Don
Bosco.
It is obvious that to obtain positive
results in this preventive system of education, there must already exist a
healthy rapport of the parent/educator with the children, as father/mother,
teacher and friend. Not only must the educator love the child, but the child
must feel being loved, said Don Bosco. “Make yourself loved” Don Bosco repeated
often to his Salesians.
When Don Bosco wrote a few pages on
his “preventive system”, he must have surely had his mother, Mama Margaret in
mind. She was father/mother, teacher and friend to her children and to Don
Bosco, in particular, accompanying him all through his youth and later in his
priestly youth ministry. In a circular letter to his Salesians on the subject
of punishments, Don Bosco passed on her message when he wrote: Never resort to
punishments, until you have exhausted all other means. Choose a favourable moment
to correct. Remove every hint that would make people deduce that you are acting
out of passion; carry out your correction in such a way that there is hope for
the one that has made a mistake and possibly, pardon. Strive to make yourself
loved, instill a sense of duty and a holy reverence of God and you will see with
what admirable ease the doors of children’s hearts will open.
As you may have already realized, the
Preventive System of Don Bosco is in fact, the implementation of the Divine
Pedagogy of Love and forgiveness as against Law and punishment, preached and practised by The Eternal
Educator, Jesus Christ.
Unfortunately, our short tempered society
today has strayed away into the shortcuts of violence and vengeance.
Tragically, as you know too well, our children are exposed even in Homes and
educational institutions to the blows of revenge and rebellion which only breeds
terrorism.
However, like Don Bosco who hoped
against hope and took up the challenge of replacing the Repressive system, let
us confirm our belief in the Preventive System as relevant today and resolve to
educate our children, the Jesus Way, not with blows of punishments but
blessings of pardon seventy times seven.
As Salesian Family that we are, as educators today, we owe it to our children both
at home and in school, to be present among them, as Fathers, Mothers, Teachers
and Friends, who know to pardon and not to punish. Not with blows.
