January 31st.  St John Bosco was a saintly man, passionate in his concern for youth and street kids in particular. He founded the Salesian priests as well as brothers and sisters to care for and educate boys and girls.  Some youths do have families, that are dysfunctional and unable to cope.  In a sense Don Bosco was creating a new, substitute family, for them.

The call from the 2023 Strenna, the leader’s guiding document for the greater Don Bosco’s Family, in 2023 is based on the parable of the woman with yeast. It aims at being a clear and thought-provoking message directed to discovering the lay dimension in this family that we are all involved in, and where the majority of its members are lay people, women and men from every country, with their lay and Christian life that calls upon them to be true leaven in humankind which is so much in need of this. It presents yeast as an image of the fruitfulness and growth of the kingdom of God in the hearts of people, which fertilizes the richness of the gift of the call to life and of the vocation where God has planted us, directing the mission of the laity and of the entire Family of Don Bosco throughout the world.”  From Strenna 2023

Scripture.  “And again he said, “to what should I compare the kingdom of God?” It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened. Luke. 13:20-2 “Pope Francis. The welfare of the family is decisive for the future of the world and that of the Church. AL43   The call and the demands of the Spirit resound in the events of history and through these the Churchy can be guided to a more profound understanding of the inexhaustible mystery of marriage and the family.” AL31. 

For reflection and sharing. Let us begin each day to thank God for whatever experience of family life we do have. Thank God too for those who give themselves to the care of those less privileged in families.