Hajja Salesjana Apr-June 2019

31 H AJJA S ALESJANA This was such a touching and special moment that I just could not keep it to myself. For this reason, I immediately thought of sharing it with you. You know that I already have shared with you something like this when I wrote about those two wedding rings that were sent to me and the symbolic value that they carried with them. The Gospel passage came to mind wherein Jesus pointed out to His disciples the poor widow who had put all she had – two coins – into the treasury in the Temple in Jerusalem and how the Lord praised her for her generosity because it was authentic. This is what I see in these two donations – in that $125.00 – the most precious ones that I have ever received in my life. This made me stop and ponder the human heart. There is such beautiful humanity in our hearts. Lamentably, it seems that the world can put before our eyes only bad news and threats from which we need to protect ourselves. This includes the news that is often the fruit of “obedience” to political, economic, or ideological interests. But this is not so - the human heart is much greater than that. There is not only bad news! I hope to be able to save from oblivion and make it known that just as many good things happen each day. I also want to rescue from oblivion all the good that is done anonymously in the world each day. And I ask that the Salesians and the entire Salesian Family throughout the world please make known how much good is being done everywhere – not just by us but by many persons, groups, and institutions. We have to make the good known, to make it visible. For if we do not, only what is evil and egotistical is seen for this is made visible and known – but only for the selfish interests of a few. I still have not had the chance to meet the refugees in Palabek personally. I do not know if I will ever be able to go there in person, but through my Salesian brethren, I have sent my thanks and my word that we do not forget them and that they, too, are very important. Simple gestures such as these that I have just shared with you give us ever greater hope for mankind. They lead me to give thanks to our good God for the very many beautiful things that happen each day. They also make me think that good intentions and nice words are not enough to change the realities of injustice and marginalization. This challenges me and many of us – and who knows, maybe you, too, dear readers – not to be passive and conformist but to shine with the Light of Christ and be critical in the face of what “others” want to make us believe, or feel, often through fear tactics. The heart of our beloved Don Bosco was brilliant and always firm in purpose and decisive in not being complicit with anything that did not have at heart the good of his boys or their families (if they had any). I send my greetings from here in Rome to the people, families, and children of Palabek and Kampala. I am certain that your messages and your gestures will reach much further than you imagine. I promise you that those $125.00 have not only left an indelible memory in my heart but that they will also reach there where they are needed. Those people will know the immense value of this gift because of their origin and their having been given with such great generosity. With much affection. Don Angel