A bumpy and tiring path, a lot of commitment, a lot of zeal, many difficulties, but also heavenly music and splendid visions: all this can be found in Don Bosco's third dream that we are rediscovering in view of his liturgical feast and in this Bicentennial year of his most famous dream at nine years of age. Today the dream known as "the ten hills" is presented (Biographical Memoirs VII, 466-471).

In this account, Don Bosco offers his young people various important teachings: the importance of preserving innocence and following the teachings of the Christian life; the value of perseverance and fidelity to the path undertaken; and finally, the fundamental dimension of caring for each other along life's common path.

On the evening of 22 October 1864, Don Bosco told this dream to the young people of the Oratory, in which it had been revealed to him how easily the innocent overcome the obstacles that make the path of salvation much more difficult for others.

It seemed to him that he was in a huge valley full of thousands of young people, many of whom he recognised as pupils of his Oratory. A lofty bank closed one end of the valley.

"See that bank?" the Guide asked him. "Well, you and the boys must reach its summit." At Don Bosco's word, all those youngsters dashed toward the bank. The priests too ran up the slope, pushing boys ahead, lifting up those who fell, and hoisting on their shoulders those who were too tired to climb further. Fr Rua, his sleeves rolled up, kept working hardest of all, gripping two boys at a time and literally hurling them up to the top of the bank where they landed on their feet and merrily scampered about. Fr Cagliero (the future Cardinal) and Fr Francesia ran back and forth encouraging the youngsters to climb. Come on, come on, come on!"

It didn't take long for all of them to make it to the top. "Now what shall we do?" Don Bosco asked. "You must all climb each of the ten hills before you," the voice replied.

"You," said the Guide to Don Bosco, "must cross these ten hills with your young people."

"Impossible! So many young, frail boys will never make it!"

"Those who can't, will be carried," the voice countered. At this very moment, at the far end of the bank, appeared a gorgeous, triangular-shaped wagon, too beautiful for words. Its three wheels swivelled in all directions. Three shafts rose from its comers and joined to support a richly embroidered banner, carrying in large letters the inscription - Innocence. Glittering with gold and gems, the wagon came to a stop in the boys' midst. At a given order, five hundred of the smaller ones climbed into it. Here Don Bosco comments with sadness: "Among the untold thousands, only these few hundred were still innocent."

Suddenly there also appeared six white-clad former pupils who had died at the Oratory. Holding aloft another splendid banner with the inscription Penance. They placed themselves at the head of the multitude which was to walk the whole way. As the signal to move was given, many priests seized the wagon's prow and led the way, followed by the six white-clad boys and the rest of the multitude. The lads in the wagon began singing Laudate pueri Dominum [Praise the Lord, you children-Ps. 112, 1] with indescribable sweetness.

Don Bosco kept going forward, enthralled by their heavenly melody, but, on an impulse, he turned to find out if the boys were following. Oh, what a painful spectacle! To his deep regret he noticed that many had stayed behind in the valley, while many others had turned back. Heart-broken, he wanted to retrace his steps to persuade those boys to follow him and to help them along, but he was absolutely forbidden to do so. "Those poor boys will be lost!" he protested.

"So much the worse for them," he was told. "They too received the call but refused to follow you. They saw the road they had to travel. They had their chance." Don Bosco insisted, pleaded, and begged, but to no avail. He had to walk on. He was still smarting with this pain when he became aware of another sad fact: a large number of those riding in the wagon had gradually fallen off. A mere hundred and fifty still stood under the banner of innocence. His heart was aching with unbearable grief. He hoped that it was only a dream and made every effort to awake, but unfortunately it was all too real. Meanwhile the singing in the wagon continued, and it was so sweet that it gradually abated Don Bosco's sorrow.

Seven of the ten hills had already been climbed and as the boys reached the eighth, they found themselves in a wonderful village where they stopped for a brief rest. The houses were indescribably beautiful and luxurious. The fields were dotted with trees laden simultaneously with blossoms, buds, and fruit. It was out of this world! The boys scattered all over, eager to see everything and to taste the fruit. Here another surprise awaited Don Bosco. His boys suddenly looked like old men: toothless, wrinkled, white-haired, bent over, lame, leaning on canes. He was stunned, but the voice said, "Don't be surprised, it's been years and years since you left that valley. The music made your trip seem so short. If you want proof, look at yourself in the mirror and you will see that I am telling the truth."

Don Bosco was handed a mirror. He himself had grown old, with his face deeply lined and his few remaining teeth decayed.

The march resumed. Far away, on the tenth hill, arose a light which grew increasingly larger and brighter, as though pouring from a gigantic doorway (Heaven?). Singing resumed, so enchanting that it could only possibly be heard and enjoyed only in paradise. Don Bosco was so over-joyed that he awoke, only to find himself in bed.

He concluded by saying that he was ready to tell some boys confidentially what they had been doing in the dream: whether they had remained in the valley or fallen off the wagon.

He then explained his dream thus: "The valley is this world; the bank symbolises the obstacles we have to overcome, in detaching ourselves from it; the wagon is self-evident. The youngsters on foot were those who lost their innocence but repented of their sins."

Text and Image from ANS