Happy Catholic Schools Week! This week we celebrate the gift of Catholic education. There is a proverb, “A falling tree makes more noise than a growing forest.” In the midst of a world of lots of noisy falling trees—bad news, troubles, etc.—we can easily miss all the good going on right before us, a true growing forest. Catholic education is a growing forest as our young people soak in learning and formation and grow into faith-filled, mature young adults before our eyes under the tutelage and care of our most dedicated teachers and staff. I am so grateful for all who sacrificially give of themselves to make Catholic education in all its forms happen—parents, teachers, staff, and really all parishioners who contribute and pray for this mission.
The reason for Catholic Schools is Jesus Christ. Certainly there are others ways to learn basic subjects. But of greatest importance is for us to encounter Jesus and for Jesus to truly be Lord of our hearts, minds, and life. Pope Benedict XVI memorably said that before all else the school is "a place to encounter the living God.” Jesus doesn’t want us to encounter him only once a week at Sunday Mass or for us to keep Him in only a part of our lives. Jesus wants to be with us always and in everything we do. Here are a just a couple of Scripture passages that speak of doing “everything” in “the name of the Lord Jesus” and with God:
And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:17)
Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near. Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me. Then the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:4–9)
In our world today, it does seem that God has less and less of a place in our society. The result is disastrous. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, a Russian author who lived and suffered through the reign of atheist Soviet Communism and the tyranny of Joseph Stalin along with deaths of some 60 million of his people, when asked to formulate as concisely as possible the main cause of the ruinous revolution in Russia said, “Men have forgotten God; that’s why all this has happened.”
We can never forget about God, and the more we include God, the more with invite Jesus to be with us throughout our day, the more alive, joyful, and at peace we will become. That is the reason for Catholic Schools and why so many do sacrifice to make them work. Thank you for all of your support and prayers. And all of us have work to do make Jesus bigger in our lives and be life-long students of the master teacher!
Peace,
Fr. Greg