Wednesday, June 13, 2012

See the Face of Christ in Everyone You Encounter

Recently I had a heartfelt conversation with my best friend. It was special to discuss life and to help one another asses where we were at on our faith journey. It was an eye opening experience for me because I realized I needed to change. For most of my life I have been a very devout and committed Christian. I believe in going to Mass every Sunday in order to receive the body and blood of Christ as spiritual nourishment. Like many people, my walk with the Lord has had its ups and it's downs but God is always there with loving arms, especially when I am most down. I would consider myself a halfway decent person. I know that I am certainly not perfect, even though I do strive for perfection. However, I recently became aware of something that needed to change. What needed to change was ME! I am sad to say that I have been judgmental of certain people and groups of people. I have judged others because of their actions and life style choices. I have separted myself from people and thought them as no good and sinful. I have also held things agains my fellow brothers and sisters. What a grave thing. Thankfully, my best friend has awaken me to this harmful pit I had fallen into. I am now working to suspend judgement and accept others for their differences, to tolerate people and their choices, and to be more open minded toward things that I have not ser given a chance. I am striving to see the face of Christ in others and I urge you to do the same. In the gospels Jesus goes into the temple and cleans house by overturning the tables of the money changers and people who were selling there. "Then, going over to the people who sold doves, he told them, 'Get these things out of here. Stop turning my Father's house into a marketplace!'" (John 2;16) the truth is we could all use a little house cleaning of our temples. For me this has meant becoming consciously aware of the groups of people, individuals and ways of life I have judged wrongly for years. After all, there is one judge in Jesus Christ. I am now looking at others with new eyes and seeing Christ in them. I am no longer blinded by my own falsities and predispositions, but can now see the goodness in them and love them the way they deserve to be loved. Thankfully my friend helped me to realize this. I challenge and urge you to look for the good in others, suspend all judgement, give them a chance, and see Christ Jesus in them. When you do that you will be able to love unconditionally. My friend has taken this holy approach and what a joyous person she is. It is my hope to have this joy and feel the love of God who is truly present today in our world. He is in our midst it is a matter of seeing the Lord in all of our brothers and sisters.

Teacher: More Than a Profession

I am blessed to say that I am one of thousands of teachers in the United States. I enjoy my profession thoroughly as I find it joyous going to school every day. I, like my parents, believe that teaching is a calling. Many would argue that it takes a special kind of person to be a teacher. However, all of us are teachers, it is merely up to each of us to embrace this life long opportunity or to squander it. Children having many needs and unfortunately because of the nuclear family suffering in existence in the US as well as a multitude of individual circumstances, our children are entering schools and need more than the traditional teacher of 50 years ago. Today, teachers, the good ones challenge young minds, inspire their students, help them to find and live out their passions and provide motherly and fatherly type of guidance and love. There is no doubt that some children's lives are drastically changed because of a teacher who helped them in more ways than merely academics. All of us are teachers because all of us are also life long learners. Each and very one of us knows someone that we have taught to do something. Many of us think nothing of this and we do not realize tr impact we have on other people when we take time out of our busy lives to help someone and teach them to do something. I can think of dozens of people in my life who do not have a masters degree in education and have never been in front of a classroom, but who have taught me some extraordinary things in life. My grandparents come to mind as they teach me daily, both directly and many times indirectly. They have taught me how to save money through a system of envelopes for example. They have also taught me what it means to be committed, honest, loving, and respectful to one's spouse through their remarkable example of 50 years of marriage. They are teachers and you are as well. It is our duty as Chrisitan brothers and sisters to reach out to those in need of our help and teaching. We all have special gifts and talents to share and by using these we can teach others, this bettering our world. I encourage you to reflect on the school teacher who made the greatest impact on you during your academic career as well as those who taught you things outside of the classroom. My guess is that you did not know everything or figure it all out on your own. Someone taught you and empires you with knowledge. It is your turn to continue to share what you know and have to offer to empower others. My great grandfather lived to 103 years young and I am a firm believer that he was as much teacher as he was student in his lifetime. I have not met many people who had such a great thirst for knowledge. What I remember most fondly is that he always told me, "Get a good education. Education is the most important thing." I agree with what he said to me and I also have. One to realize that we must be conscious of the fact that we must share our knowledge with others by teaching them and listen to our neighbors who can teach us so much.