Homily on the Memorial of Bl. Michael Rua, Tuesday, 30th Week in OT, 29 October 2024, DBPH Chapel, Talamban
When I was a little kid, I used to watch my mom bake something in the kitchen. She would mix yeast into several cups of flour. Then after adding eggs and other ingredients and kneading the mixture thoroughly, she would keep the whole dough aside for a time until it rises. Then she would cut it into smaller parts, roll them one by one, twirl them, lay them in smaller pans, and then bake them inside the oven. After a few minutes she would take them all out for cooling, then she would dress each of them with butter, grated cheese and white sugar. Finally the end product is ready… guess what it is? a good and fluffy ensaimada, best taken with a cup of freshly brewed coffee today.
The gospel passage we have just heard is about Jesus narrating the parables of God’s kingdom. I guess if Jesus lived during our time he would have spoken about the mystery of God’s reign by describing how a good ensaimada is made. Like the yeast that is mixed in with some measures of wheat flour, God’s loving presence in our ordinary lives is that which makes us arise to become like the best tasting ensaimada ready to be served to others in order to satisfy the deepest hunger of people in this famished world.
Today I would like to tell you another interesting story. It is the story of a ten-year old boy who was handpicked to become like yeast so that he could eventually help feed so many hungry mouths among the neglected young people of his time. His name is Michele.
Michele was born in a poor neighbourhood in the outskirts of Turin. He was the youngest of nine children. He lost his father when he was only eight years old, and not long after that tragedy two other elder brothers followed their dad into the grave. And so after these untimely deaths, the boy Michele, got scared by the thought that he could possibly be the next bread winner of the family. However God had other plans.
When he was ten years old Michele met a saintly priest by the name of Don Bosco who accepted him as a boarder at the oratory. And from then onwards, his life’s direction took a different turn. By God’s mysterious plan the fatherless Michele grew up with Don Bosco, and eventually became a priest known today as Don Michele Rua or Fr Michael Rua. He was among the first Salesians who professed the vows in front of Don Bosco and even worked as his right hand in the foundation of the Salesian Congregation.
Backtracking a bit, when, as a little boy, he first met Don Bosco, Michele, knew little what his future would be. But when he allowed himself to be guided by this saintly priest, the father and teacher of youth, he soon discovered his true vocation and mission in life. And without fear or hesitation he generously offered his life to Jesus following the footsteps of Don Bosco in serving the poor and marginalized youth.
Dear confreres, parents and grandparents let us never under-estimate the important role we can play in the vocation of young people esp. those of our own family. The youth do not need our pressure. They only need our guidance and accompaniment. Who knows some of them are just waiting for our encouragement so that they could become the person they really want to be, the person God wants them to be, and not the person we want them to be. We can really be instrumental for young people to discover their true vocation and mission in life. Just think about it, if Michele had not been allowed by his mom to meet Don Bosco at the Oratory, he would not have become a priest. And he would not have become the first Rector Major of the Salesian Congregation.
Fast forward, when Don Rua was a young priest, he fulfilled his ministry with pastoral zeal. One day he became super loaded with work that he got afflicted with a serious illness and was at the brink of death. But Don Bosco told him not to worry at all because he would live for many more years in order to complete a particular mission from God. The following week Don Michele miraculously got well as promised by Don Bosco. And he lived for many more years as Don Bosco foretold.
When Don Bosco died in 1888, Don Michele Rua became the Rector Major to succeed him. With Don Rua’s leadership, the Salesian charism was preserved, and as the number of Salesians rapidly increased in great numbers, the Salesian work expanded towards many other countries. At Don Michele Rua’s death in 1910, the number of Salesians multiplied from 773 to 4,000. Hence, also the number of Salesian communities increased from 57 (when Don Bosco died) to 345 (when Don Rua died). The number of provinces also increased from 6 to 34 provinces spread out in 33 countries around the world. Though little in the eyes of the world, Don Michele Rua led the Salesian Family in winning for God the hearts of countless young people way beyond Don Bosco’s dream, and in feeding them not only with baked bread and ensaimada, but with the Bread of Life.
Exactly fifty-two years ago, on this day in 1972 Don Michele was beatified by Pope Saint Paul VI. Although he was not the first in the Salesian Family to be declared blessed after Don Bosco, his beatification manifested the beautiful reality that holiness indeed runs in the family of Don Bosco and that God’s loving presence with the intercession of our Bl. Mother, the Help of Christians, has truly empowered our small congregation to grow in leaps and bounds, much like the Reign of God.
May this Eucharist that we celebrate in honor of Bl. Michael Rua inspire us and move us to discern and fulfil God’s dream for us, that is, to be holy and to make others holy, esp. the young entrusted to our care. GiGsss!