From today’s gospel: “And people were bringing children to him that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them, ‘Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.’ Then he embraced them and blessed them, placing his hands on them."

“There is something in children, some combination of helplessness, dependence, innocence, trust, vulnerability, simplicity, playfulness, and simple physical beauty that opens the heart to selflessness in a way that our other loves do not. . . In our love for our children we are given a privileged avenue to feel as God feels—to burst in unselfishness, in fire, in joy, in delight, and in the desire to let another’s life be more real and important than my own." (Rev. Ron Rolheiser, OMI)

A group of students (at another Lasallian school) once came to me with “issues" with a particular teacher. After reminding them that they needed to talk with that teacher, not me, this popped out, unplanned: “You’ve seen how [teacher name] looks at her own little kids, the ones you like playing with. Haven’t you seen that she looks at you the same way? Don’t you see that she loves you like you were her own children? Now go think about that and stop bothering me!" I was reminded of this exchange by one of the now-grown students recently, who shared that it started to make teachers “real" for her, and started her on a path that made education more “real" as well. I guess that sometimes the Spirit even moves us in our outbursts!

But I wonder if this isn’t what De La Salle meant when he wrote that we are to have both the “firmness of a father" and the “tenderness of a mother" (Med. 101.3) with regard to our students. Aren’t we meant to overflow with parental love when we see them, just as God overflows with a parental love that causes all of creation? Isn’t our love that which attracts them to learn from us, allowing us to shape their knowledge and direct it in ways which will allow the Kingdom of God to continue to overflow with love? May our prayer this week allow us to see our students, our children, with eyes of love.

Live, Jesus, in our hearts!