It has been said, "Love me first and then I will believe." Words might be able to excite the mind, but action stirs the heart. When St. Damien contracted leprosy and could speak from the heart on common ground with the other lepers, they flocked to his hut and to the Church on Sundays to be with him. St. Martin de Porres, whom we remember today, was not a preacher, but put his medical knowledge to work to care for the health needs of the poor in Lima, Peru and won the hearts of thousands for the faith. Adults taught us as children that "Actions speak louder than words." As our daily experiences teach us, the truth of that adage is verified over and over again. St. Marcellin's basic premise in education was to "love the children, all of them, and equally." A teacher said to me this morning, as he looked at a somewhat lethargic homeroom, "We've gotta keep loving them."
Sometimes it is shocking to hear teens express their doubts or disbelief, or rejection of Catholic teaching, as they go through their "rebellion period", but that is no reason to stop loving them, but the very reason to love them more. They appreciate genuine love, and in the end that is what will bring them back.
Love is first exprienced in the family; friendships help develop love; school, which occupies a huge chunk of the day, plays a major role in helping love mature. A Catholic school has the mission and added advantage of teaching the faith in the context of love. Thus, our schools are essential to the future of the Church, as Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan has pointed out in an excellent article in America, the Jesuit weekly magazine. (September 18, 2010). May the love for our children and our schools foster our own faith as well as the faith of the young.
Bro. Rene
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