Gospel in Art: Feast of Saint John Bosco

Portrait of St John Bosco, 2020 © David Pastor Corbí artist, all rights reserved

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 31 January 2024
Mark 6:1-6

Jesus went to his home town and his disciples accompanied him. With the coming of the sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue and most of them were astonished when they heard him. They said, 'Where did the man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been granted him, and these miracles that are worked through him? This is the carpenter, surely, the son of Mary, the brother of James and Joset and Jude and Simon? His sisters, too, are they not here with us?' And they would not accept him. And Jesus said to them, 'A prophet is only despised in his own country, among his own relations and in his own house'; and he could work no miracle there, though he cured a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.

Reflection on the painting

Today we celebrate the Feast of Saint John Bosco (1815-1888). He was born in Northern Italy, which at the time had recently been embroiled in the Napoleonic Wars. Drought, famine and poverty had taken hold in the area. Aged 2, he lost his father. Wanting to be a priest from a young age, he required an education, which he lacked because his family was poor. However, he was befriended by a priest who helped him to read and write and provided him with a few books. Self-taught, John Bosco entered the seminary and, following six years of study and discernment, he was ordained a priest in 1841, aged 26. Sent by his Bishop to Turin, he started working with the poor and needy. His own mother helped a great deal in his ministry. By the 1860s, Father John Bosco and his mother were responsible for lodging over 800 poor children and providing them with food and education. In 1859, he established the Society of St Francis de Sales - the Salesians. Saint John Bosco was canonised on Easter Sunday in 1934 and he was given the title 'Father and Teacher of Youth.'

Our portrait of Saint John Bosco was painted by David Pastor Corbí, during the Covid lockdown in 2020. A painter from Alicante, he said that he had had this portrait in mind for 20 years: a portrait of the saint at the window of his room in Valdocco. The figure is placed between green shutters. David Pastor said about his composition: "I decided that the shutters would be made to look as if they'd never been closed, and being always open made them seem very damaged by the inclement weather." Furthermore, the saint is surrounded by books, celebrating education as the foundation of the formation of the youth. The other tools and implements on the sill refer to manual work and vocational training.The juggler balls he holds in his hand refer to entertainment, fun and games, which he knew were equally important for enhancing a community spirit.

I leave you with a quotation of Saint John Bosco, addressed to some 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-6-1-6-2024/