(Tenth reflection of a series in the Year of Paul;
a continuation of Reflection #9)

"Based upon your understanding and love of God, and fully accepting your own vocation to the ministry of the Christian School, must lead you to ‘allow nothing in the children under your guidance which could displease God...You are to immediately remedy the problem." In words similar to these, and in a clear and strong manner, De La Salle opens the Tenth Meditation for the Time of Retreat. In this sentence De La Salle clearly unifies Faith and Zeal into one continuous circle of prayer and ministry. To elaborate on his point, De La Salle gives the example of the Zeal of the prophet Elijah who says "I have been roused with an ardent zeal for the Lord God of armies, because the children of Israel have broken the covenant which they had made with God."

Because of this ardor Elijah confronts the people. So, also, the Brother, consecrated to God is impelled by an ardent zeal to remove anything which impedes a child from realizing his/her own dignity and perfection. (1 Kings 19.10) These are strong foundational beams of the Lasallian Vocation.

Brother Maurice Auguste in his commentary on the Meditations for the Time of Retreat as found in "Cahiers Lasallienes #1," points out that while De La Salle proposes Elijah as an example, nevertheless the same sentiments are entirely Paulian when he writes to the Corinthians that in spite of the blessings received and the Covenant made in the desert, many did not complete their journey because of infidelity. " Do not become idolaters, as some of them did" writes Paul. He then goes on to write: " we must not indulge in sexual immorality, as some of them did...We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did...and do not complain, as some of them did...These things happened...and are written to instruct us, on whom the end of the ages has come". (I Cor. 10.1-3) These infidelities are reflected in De La Salle's listing of those actions if found in their students are not to be tolerated, and for which the Brother is to refine understanding. These are: sexual abuse of self or use of others; lying, stealing, lack of reverence for God, self, parents and others, and disobedience to parents. Time and again Paul enumerates the immoralities which a Christian must avoid.

Paul writes, again to the Corinthians, with a blistering tone: " Do you not know that wrong-doers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived! Fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes, sodomites, thieves, the greedy, drunkards, revilers, robbers—none of these will inherit the kingdom of God." (I Cor. 6.9 - 11)

Regarding the good forms of behavior the Brother should foster in those confided to his care, can we not see and hear Jesus, ‘Sermon on the Mount'?

Blessed are you when people revile and persecute you...

You are the salt of the earth....

You are the light of the world...

But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or a sister you will be liable to judgment...

You shall not swear falsely...

You have heard it said ‘an eye for an eye'...but I say resist evil...

turn the other cheek...love your enemies...if anyone forces you to go one mile with him, go a second...(Matthew 5: 1 ff)

Jesus, Paul, and De La Salle set high standards for Christian behaviours, and for the necessity for the Brother-Associate to remove or foster in their students. We may feel frustrated or ‘out of touch' approaching our ministry today. Within our culture it is challenging to cultivate these beliefs, attitudes and actions among those who are given to our care. All of the points raised are really blurred in our day. I feel that today faith and moral discernment are not a consideration. In fact, a pervading sense of an amoral—sometimes immoral—society is proposed.

In our Child care ministries, and I am sure to some degree in all our ministries, we have to confront the "Gang Sense of Honor and Morality". From what young people have told me the prevailing sense of honor is ‘An eye for an eye', and the need to revenge. Problems are solved by violence. In fact I have read an article in the publication "Tikkun"—a reform Jewish publication to which I subscribe—that we have ‘institutionalized' violence and hatred because of all the wars we are waging, and all the weapons we are producing. ( The publication Tikkun is dedicated to working towards a fairer, more human, and more spiritual society. "Tikkun Olam" is a central Jewish article of faith: the purpose of a human is to make the world a better place.) We know that media and other positions seem bent upon bringing the place of love and sexual relationships solely to one of pleasure and immediate satisfaction, and human interaction becomes somewhat inhumane. How may we teach integrally in the face of the individualistic preoccupation, the consumer saturated, non-reverential society in which both we and those given to our care live? How may we cultivate respect and esteem in a society which has a constantly changing value system, if at all? How may we speak of God in a society which regards ‘religion' simply as a moral system, and a system which seeks to impose upon human activity? How may we speak of the deepest feelings and realities which are in our human nature, which are part of our sex, our relationships, masculinity, femininity, the life-giving emotion of love, of desire to live, and the desire to share love? How may we speak of human fulfillment when there is no thought about what it means to be a human in this universe, and more than that, one who is brought into relationship with God through the life of Jesus?

Isn't this where we come to that ‘sixth sense' of the vocation of a Teacher—that which cannot be taught in the curriculum of a Degree in Education. This is the sum of our years of experience, and the invaluable call to "Association" which De La Salle has offered to us? In this Association we can pool together ‘things that work', some ‘methods' one of us has which ‘works'. We can also gain support from each other. Together we can begin to change the world. In this day and age when we wonder what we can do for our world, let us realize that a teacher is the first line of pushing forward this frontier. A teacher is a necessary part of human development, fulfillment and salvation. We are changing the world when we Associate ourselves to those who follow the vision and heritage of John Baptist de La Salle.

I am sure that there are among any of you who reads this reflection who could respond to these needs of today counting upon your convictions and your experience.

Your own education and the refinement of your teaching, the refinement of your difficulties, the love you have for those given into your care, and your daily devotion to being ‘there' for the students/clients, whatever Lasallian ministry you provide is a profound source of inspiration and information. Brother Victor Hickey (R.I.P. NY district) who was the chair of Education when I was on the Faculty of Salve Regina University with him, spoke to me many times about his visions for teachers. They are the ones who should be writing the books about education. They know the human reality, the needs of children, the methods that work, how the child develops. Unfortunately, Brother Victor would say, the teachers do not write. There are many things which prevent this: exhaustion after a day of teaching; time needed for preparation; family nurture, and home to clean and preserve. Would that we could find some way of together writing our own "Conduct of the Christian School!."

Brother James Loxham