48. The pit and the snake, 1863
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On November 13, 1863, Don Bosco spoke as follows: "Last night I had a dream that I am going to tell you.
I dreamed that I was in the courtyard with all the pupils who were amusing themselves with jumping, running and playing sports. We went out to the field for a walk. Suddenly we came to a paddock and there the youngsters resumed their games with great enthusiasm.
I then discovered, nearby, a huge hole or very deep dry well. I then approached it to examine it and to make sure that there was no danger for my youngsters, when I saw at the bottom a horrible snake. Its thickness was greater than that of a horse, or rather that of an elephant, and its huge body was full of yellow spots.
I turned away in horror.
But then I saw a group of youngsters jumping over that dreadful hole. Some were so small and so agile that they jumped over it and reached the other side without any danger. But others, older and heavier-bodied, reached lower and fell into the edge of the pit; and then the snake opened its frightful mouth and bit them on the feet, or on a leg, or on the rest of the body.
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And yet, many reckless ones kept jumping over the moat, and almost never were they left without receiving some serious injury.
Then a young man said to me, pointing to a fellow: "Look, this one will jump once and do badly. He will jump a second time and he will be there.
I felt sorry to see so many wounded, some with sores on their feet, others on their arms, and many with broken hearts. I kept asking them: - But why expose yourselves to danger by jumping over the moat? - We did not imagine that this would happen to us - they answered me - We did not imagine that these evils would befall us.
But there was one that filled me with sadness, it was the one the young man had pointed out to me. He jumped again and fell into the deep well. After a few moments the monster threw him out and he was as black as a coal, but he was not yet dead and was still talking. Those of us who were there looked on in horror.
Explanation: Don Bosco insisted on that phrase from the Book of Proverbs: "He who exposes himself to danger, perishes in it". And he recommended them to be very careful with dangerous friendships and with impure readings and with the occasions of sinning. He repeated to them the phrase from the book Imitation of Christ: "When the occasion arises, and in pleasing yourself, you will fall". And that other phrase of St. Bernard:"In chastity the cowards triumph, those who flee from danger and from the occasion, because if we expose ourselves to danger, our emotions can become so violent that they are stronger than our will and make us fall into sin".
In explaining to them about the one who was as black as a coal, he reminded them that he was not yet dead. That he represented those who are in mortal sin, but that with confession and penance they can regain the life of grace.
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The wounds received may be venial sins committed by exposing oneself to the occasions of sin. Falling into the pit and falling victim to the monster means falling into mortal sin.
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49. The crows and the young people, 1864
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On April 14, 1864, Don Bosco spoke to his boys as follows: "On the night of April 3, I dreamed that I was on the balcony watching the pupils playing in the courtyard, when suddenly a great number of crows appeared and swooped down on the youngsters to peck them. The scene before my eyes was terrifying: some had their tongues bitten and torn to pieces; others were pecked on the forehead and others had their hearts torn out. And the worst thing is that none of them screamed or complained.--
They remained indifferent, as if insensitive, without even trying to defend themselves. And I thought to myself: - Is it possible that they let themselves be wounded without even a cry of pain? But after a while I felt a general clamor, and then I saw the wounded begin to shake, to scream, to complain, and to separate from one another. And I began to think what it all meant. I watched all the wounded closely.
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Suddenly a personage appeared with a small cup full of balsam or blessed oil in one hand and he began to heal the wounds of the young men, who were cured as soon as the blessed oil was applied to them. There were, however, several wounded who did not want to approach to have their wounds healed and were not cured. This worried me a lot and I decided to write down their names on a piece of paper, but as soon as I was about to write, a noise was heard and I woke up.
I made an effort to retain in my memory the names of the wounded and of those who did not want to go to be cured.
I will try to talk to them and try to convince them to be cured of their wounds.
Explanation: Don Bosco attached great importance to confession, Holy Communion and penance. Probably this message was given to him to try to convince his disciples that they should not remain without being healed of the wounds that sin leaves in the soul, but that by means of repentance, good purpose, confession, penance and communion, they should obtain spiritual sanction. The balsam is an olive oil, mixed with other vegetable essences.
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Those who at first remain indifferent and do not complain but then begin to cry out and become discouraged are those who at the moment of the sin do not feel remorse for committing it, but afterwards are left with a very deep sadness in their soul for having committed the wickedness, and having offended Our Lord.