I posted twice. Whoooops.
So here's my attempt at making this happen again. I am so overflowingly (don't think that's a word) happy and fulfilled in my current school and position and want to make sure I'm reflecting on it and how God is calling and guiding me in this place.
I also found a blog that I attempted called "Stuff My Students Say." I'm going to try to post those things on here, too. Two blogs, no waiting, all in one place :). (Here's the only post from that http://stuffmystudentssaylbh.blogspot.com/2011/11/durability.html ...LOVE that kid.)
I'm going to start by explaining the title of this blog, why it stuck out to me, and why I'm not changing it.
The Latin phrase (how I LOVE Latin is another story), "Magister adest et vocat te," translates to "The teacher is here and He is calling you." I first saw this above the altar in the chapel at the Pastoral Center for the Archdiocese of Boston in Braintree. It struck me, obviously, because it has the word "teacher" in it, but also because I love the identification of Christ as teacher. (Savior, Master, Messiah, Friend - I like them all...) I love the idea that Christ is constantly teaching us - in so many ways. I learn most effectively through doing, so I think that Christ often teaches me lessons through experiences and through people. Sometimes (well, more than sometimes), I'm stubborn and need to do things for myself in order to figure out their meaning or lesson in my life.
I want my teaching to be a reflection of the impact and teaching of Christ in my own life. Being a Theology teacher, this is the perfect situation for this to happen in. My job is literally to teach high school students about Christ and the Church (among other things involved in this). My challenges are many. Namely, to communicate these truths in a way that makes them appealing, livable, loving, and worthy of dedicating one's life to, but also to strive to live in a way that makes these teachings visible in myself. I can't imagine how useless it would be to learn theology from a teacher that teaches one thing, but lives something completely different.
I also realize that I need to remind myself to focus on the goal that students know and love God (and are learning!), more than they know and like/love me. Who doesn't want to be liked? Who doesn't love being loved? I guess I'd say a balance of the two is achievable. I'm reminded of the Liturgy of Humility:
O Jesus! meek and humble of heart, Hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed,
Deliver me, Jesus. (repeat after each line)
From the desire of being loved,
From the desire of being extolled,
From the desire of being honored,
From the desire of being praised,
From the desire of being preferred to others,
From the desire of being consulted,
From the desire of being approved,
From the fear of being humiliated,
From the fear of being despised,
From the fear of suffering rebukes,
From the fear of being calumniated,
From the fear of being forgotten,
From the fear of being ridiculed,
From the fear of being wronged,
From the fear of being suspected,
That others may be loved more than I,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it. (repeat after each line)
That others may be esteemed more than I ,
That, in the opinion of the world,
others may increase and I may decrease,
That others may be chosen and I set aside,
That others may be praised and I unnoticed,
That others may be preferred to me in everything,
That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should,
I bolded lines that I find particularly challenging. This prayer is so challenging because it's so counter-cultural. That other's be praised over myself? That other's be preferred to me? Why would I want that? Working on humility... SO hard!
So here's to another year (4th year!) of teaching - it's laughter, challenges, successes, and failures. Can't wait to get started!
No comments:
Post a Comment