Hajja Salesjana April June 2018

8 At the age of nine, John had a prophetic dream that revealed for him, as Margherita understood it, the prospect of a priestly vocation. This is how John himself describes this dream in his book the Memoirs of the Oratory : It was at that age that I had a dream. All my life this remained deeply impressed on my mind. In this dream I seemed to be near my home in a fairly large yard. A crowd of children were playing there. Some were laughing, some were playing games, and quite a few were swearing. When I heard these evil words, I jumped immediately amongst them and tried to stop them by using my words and my fists. At that moment a dignified man appeared as a nobly-dressed adult. He wore a white cloak, and his face shone so that I could not look directly at him. He called me by name, told me to take charge of these children, and added these words: ‘You will have to win these friends of yours not by blows but by gentleness and love. Start right away to teach them the ugliness of sin and the value of virtue.’ Confused and frightened, I replied that I was a poor, ignorant child. I was unable to talk to those youngsters about religion. At that moment the kids stopped their laughing, shouting, and swearing; they gathered round the man who was speaking. Hardly knowing what I was saying, I asked, ‘Who are you, ordering me to do the impossible?’ ‘Precisely because it seems impossible to you, you must make it possible through obedience and the acquisition of knowledge.’ ‘Where, by what means, can I acquire knowledge?’ ‘I will give you a teacher. Under her guidance you can become wise. Without her, all wisdom is foolishness.’ ‘But who are you that speak so?’ ‘I am the son of the woman whom your mother has taught you to greet three times a day.’ ‘My mother tells me not to mix with people I don’t know unless I have her permission. So tell me your name.’ ‘Ask my mother what my name is.’ At that moment, I saw a lady of stately appearance standing beside him. She was wearing a mantle that sparkled all over as though covered with bright stars. Seeing from my questions and answers that I was more confused than ever, she beckoned me to approach her. She took me kindly by the hand and said, ‘Look.’ Glancing round, I realized that the youngsters had all apparently run away. A large number of goats, dogs, cats, bears and other animals had taken their place. ‘This is the field of your work. Make yourself humble, strong, and energetic. And what you will see happening to these animals in a moment is what you must do for my children.’ I looked round again, and where before I had seen wild animals, I now saw gentle lambs. They were Supernatural Guidance or just a Childish Dream? By Rev. Dr. Louis Grech sdb PhD in Spiritual Companionship with the Young