Monthly Recolection

2010/10/29,, Photos

Some elements of THE SPIRITUAL LIFE
of Blessed Michael  RUA by Fr Gianni Caputa

Speaking to an audience of “theologians” on the occasion of a monthly recollection, I would like to focus on the spiritual life of blessed Michael Rua, from a specific theological point of view.

I – THE SPIRITUAL LIFE OF THE CLERIC MICHAEL RUA
How was M. Rua as a young cleric? What are the main features of his Christian spirituality?
Piety: we know that Michael, together with Dominic Savio, was co-founder  of the Company of the Immaculate Conception. In the same year he was also elected president of a “Conference of Saint Vincent de Paul” (1856). Both sodalities were directly involved in helping poor people and assisting those affected by the cholera outbreak … This proves that Rua’s piety was simultaneously sacramental, marian and apostolic.  
Always discrete, Rua was undemonstrative and did not make any show of his fervour in faith. However one of his companions testified: "cleric Rua stood out for his simple, sincere and dignified piety. To see him praying, whether during study times or under the portico at night prayers, or in church, with his face radiant, his self-possession, made it obvious that he was fully absorbed mind and heart in God. One sensed he could see the Lord, felt Jesus present, delighted in it, and this helped us to pray all the more". (Ballesio, quoted by Amadei, vol I, 121).
Study: While studying philosophy and theology at the diocesan seminary (2 periods in the morning and 1 1/2 in the afternoon) he took private classes of Hebrew and Greek  given by Prof Peyron, one of the major experts at that time, and attended courses of literature at the University in order to obtain a teacher’s degree.
Of course  he committed himself to study Dogmatic, Fundamental, Sacramental and Moral Theology. Some of his note books have been preserved: De Religione, De Deo uno et trino (132 pp.), De Gratia (206), De Sacramentis (150): Eucharist, Baptism, Confession, Extreme Unction. All written in scholastic Latin, as was customary at the time, and in a style  which reveals a student in love with clarity and coherence.  (Desramaut). His favourite subject was Sacred Scripture; he began to put together a series of exercise books (eighteen of these have been preserved), with a view to publishing a work for the young on biblical subjects (which in reality he would never do)  /…/  This means that he combined a theoretical interest with an apostolic one. 
Apostolate: for years brother Rua was the soul of the various activities (catechesis, recreation, prayer …) in the “Oratories” of the Guardian Angel and of Saint Louis, located in two very popular neighborhood of Torino.
During this period as cleric, his daily timetable was as follows: no more than 5, 5 1/2 hours of sleep each night; raising up as early as 3, 3 1/2, followed by 2 or 2 1/2 hours of study until Meditation and Mass at 5 or 5,30.
Summing up: all the characteristic dimensions of the Salesian spirituality were already there: piety, study, apostolate, joy, loving kindness, work and temperance. It is not by chance that, still as a subdeacon in his 22nd year of age, he was unanimously elected as “spiritual director” of the newly established Salesian Society on 18 Dec. 1859.
One year later he was ordained a priest. During the feast given in his honour, he was acclaimed "model for the young, example for the clerics, worthy companion of Dominic Savio"; "a new St. Peter in his love for Jesus Christ, a new St. John in his love for heavenly things, a new Aloysius Gonzaga for the purity of his life, a new St. Bernard for his devotion to the Virgin, and a new Don Bosco for his dedication to the young". (Desramaut) - We can obviously downplay  the emphatic overtones,  however  the substance is there and it will remain throughout his whole life.
What about human qualities? Rua possessed a superior intelligence, a solid and broad culture, assisted by an excellent memory. In his youth, many people thought he would become a university professor. He was not lacking in finesse and he could easily insert a humoristic tone in his conversation. /…/ He was gifted with extreme sensitivity and a very affectionate heart. But he was always reserved and modest in his feelings. /…/ He showed himself to be polite at all times, secure in himself and distinguished. /…/ More notable still was his strength of will and self-control /…/ (Desramaut)

II  -  FIRST YEARS OF PRIESTHOOD
To prepare for the exam that would give him permission to hear confessions, Fr Rua for 2 years attended the classes of Canon Zappata, which covered all the moral and canonical subject matters, as one can see browsing his note books, 372 pages in all. /…/ Having completed the classes and passed the exam, on 27 June 1862 Fr.Rua obtained the “licentia confessandi”. (Cf Desramaut)
As a priest he kept his usual timetable, except that from 5.30 to 8.00 a.m. he used to sit to hear the confessions of the students and of some confreres. As for himself, on one weekday, after hearing the confession of Fr Francesia, he would change place, kneel down and make his own confession there and then, in full view of all those who were waiting their turn. (Desramaut)
He celebrated Mass at 8.00 followed by 20 minutes of thanksgiving, which he never omitted or shortened. One day a royal  prince came  to Valdocco; when he was told that DB was not at home, he asked to see Don Rua. Don Rua was celebrating Mass. As soon as he finished people told him to hurry up and meet the royal prince. But, as if he had not heard anything, he slowly took off his liturgical vestments. When he turned around, the prince made a move to approach him. But Fr Rua made a sign to wait, then went to his kneeler. He buried his face in his hands and remained there absorbed in prayer for twenty minutes. At the end he got up and, with an angelic smile, arms opened wide, he approached the royal visitors excusing himself for not being immediately available. The prince and his entourage understood, were very courteous about it and later on said how edified they were by his lengthy thanksgiving. (Cf Desramaut).
The extraordinary activity of DR is well known. However, as Fr. Joseph Aubry noted, we would understand nothing of DR’s prodigious capacity for work and his ascetic poverty if we overlooked the divine intimacy of his spirit. He had a priestly, constantly tranquil appearance, but he was a man burning /…/ with passionate love for God and for the salvation of souls. If he appeared sometimes tough on the outside, in reality he was full of tenderness, filled with the joy which God grants to those who love him. (Cf Desramaut)

Questions for the exam of conscience: how much time do I dedicate to personal prayer ? How is my personal love to Jesus and to Mary ? Am I fully committed to the study of  Scriptural and Theological subjects ? Is my study oriented to my apostolate ? How do I cultivate and grow in human virtues ? How do I master intelligence, will, emotions … ?

II – CHRISTOCENTRIC SPIRITUALITY

DR’s spirituality was Christo-centric. His unifying devotion was that to the Sacred Heart of Jesus expressed in practices of piety that were common to the whole Church in his time.  
Don Rua speaks of Jesus not only in dogmatically correct terms, but in Eucharistic terms: thanking and praising Jesus for his great love for men in general, for the Salesian Congregation in particular, and for himself in a special way, using affectionate expressions, exalting his goodness, with real spiritual joy …  (cf p. 286; 292)

• He wanted to imitate St Francis de Sales and St Mary Margaret Alacoque, who made of the heart of Jesus their habitual dwelling place. Remaining in intimate familiarity with Him, they gradually absorbed and reproduced the most characteristic attitudes of Jesus: sacrificial love for the Father and for men, humility, meekness, sweetness …
• This is what Don Rua wanted for himself. Reporting the same words of Francis de Sales, he wrote: “How happy would I be if one day, after holy communion, I would find in my chest no more my heart, but the heart of Jesus” (271).  … a Heart full of love for God, of compassion for the sinners and of zeal for the salvation of souls … 
• DR recommended to every Salesian confrere this mutual immanence (Jesus living in us and we in him), which brings forth an identification  of thoughts and desires, of sentiments and  will, and an apostolic action animated by fervor, zeal, sacrifice.  (Cf 286)
• In his Circular letter  of 29 November 1899 he wrote: “Every morning in our prayer of consecration to Our Lady… we ask that, as far as possible, by our words, conduct and good example we may be living representations of Jesus “, especially in his sacrificial attitude. 

What does it mean for Don Rua to love Jesus in concrete terms ? It means primarily:

• to adore Him in the sacrament of the Eucharistic (279)
• to consecrate oneself as a temple and an altar; a temple where Jesus may dwell and feel at home;  an altar from which the homage of a vital sacrifice goes up to the glory of God …(cf 265); “Jesus wants that on the altar of his love we immolate ourselves, our goods, our pleasures, our self-love which prevents us from progressing in the way of truth and justice …” (292).
• With the act of consecration he intended that all the Salesians together present themselves to Jesus as a great holocaust of love,  as victims of expiation for the sins of the 19th century and as his apostles for the 20th century. (265)

Summing up in his own words:  “As Jesus’s love for us is the compendium of Christian dogma, so our love for Him is the compendium of Christian ethics” (278).  
I think that this statement remains valid also for us Salesians of the 21st century.

Questions for the examination of conscience:
How much do I resemble to Jesus who is “meek and humble of heart”?   -   How do I imitate Jesus in his consecration to the glory of the Father and the salvation of souls ?  -  Am I a faithful disciple of Francis de Sales, of D.Bosco and D.Rua in their union with  God? … in their love to the Heart of Jesus ?