Wednesday, September 8, 2010

A New School Year

Its time for a new school year again.  And though I have been retired for three years, I still get the back to school dreams.  The one last night was about a copy machine that ate my carefully created list for student portfolios.  Ah well...  For those of you who are still teaching, I read this in my breviary on August 25th, the Feast Day of Saints Bartholomew and Joseph Calasanz.    The reading below was written by St. Calasanz:

"All who undertake to teach must be endowed with deep love, the greatest patience, and, most of all, profound humility.  They must perform their work with earnest zeal.  Then, through their humble prayers, the Lord will find them worthy to become fellow workers with him in the cause of truth.  He will console them in the fulfillment of this most noble duty, and, finally, will enrich them with the gift of heaven.

"As Scripture says: Those who instruct many injustice will shine as stars for all eternity.  They will attain this more easily if they make a covenant of perpetual obedience and strive to cling to Christ and please him alone, because, in his words: What you did to one of the least of my brethren, you did to me."

May Blessed St. Joseph Calasanz and all the Saints bless you and give you strength as you journey again to help the young reach their fullest potential!!