A continues effort to be aware of the constant and enveloping presence of God in one’s life will set him on his way to holiness. The path of holiness marked out by Don Bosco is characterized by his constant reminder, “God sees you” to his boys. When one is aware that he is in the presence of God, whether in the church or outside, he will direct his thoughts and actions in such a way so as not to lose this sweet sense of Divine presence.

To enjoy the presence of God we need to be aware of the elements that strive to exercise control over us and to keep us away from God. We need to take a decision to take control of the sinful tendencies that has been controlling us up to now.  A total surrender of our past and the desire to be renewed will enable us to begin our journey but this will not take us far unless we make consistent efforts to keep ourselves in the track.  We can resolutely decide to give up our evil tendencies; thoughts, words and actions. However, focusing on removing evil, in a way, is defective. The nature of man is such that he can’t remain empty. As a container, filled to the brim with something cannot take in anymore a soul filled with God cannot fill itself with anything else. In    Mt: 12: 43-45, we see that the evil spirit returns to the man because ‘he finds it swept, put in order but empty’. Ps 119:9 says ‘How can the young remain pure, by keeping your word’. Yes, unless we fill ourselves with God and His word our efforts in achieving holiness will meet with failure.

Our souls should always be kept filled. Regarding this St Josemaria Escriva says, ‘Heart has been created to love. Do not doubt it. Let us therefore bring our Lord Jesus Christ into the love that awe feels. Otherwise, the empty heart takes revenge and fills itself with the most despicable vileness’.

A soul focused on God and his word undergoes a transformation. One needs to learn how to focus on God. In Ps: 16:8 we read, ‘I keep the Lord always before me’. A closer look into this verse reveals three points. ‘I keep the Lord’. I need to make a serious personal effort if I aspire to live in a daily experience of God. The Lord does not force his way in. ‘Keep the Lord always before me’. My union with God should not be limited to the time allotted for prayer. I need to be frequently thinking of God, praising and thanking him even as we carry out our daily tasks. In short, I need to have a constant communion with the Lord. ‘Lord always before me’. Keeping the Lord before me would mean that the Lord and his will take priority in my life. Hence, if I keep the Lord always before me other passions and pleasured will have no control over my life.

Don Bosco was a saint maker who did this work with much ease as he was fully aware that the key to sanctity was to be aware of the constant and enveloping presence  of God in ones life. As the sons of Don Bosco we should be proud to continue this aspect of his work, to instill the taste for holiness in the minds of the young. Let us strive to be aware of the presence of God at every moment of our life. This experience of his presence should not be our end rather we should like Don Bosco enable everyone who come into contact with us to have such an experience.  Let us ask the intercession of our father Don Bosco to enable us to follow him to be holy and to make others holy.