Saturday's gospel: "A man came up to Jesus, knelt down before him, and said, 'Lord, have pity on my son, who is a lunatic and suffers severely; often he falls into fire, and often into water. I brought him to your disciples, but they could not cure him.' Jesus said in reply, 'O faithless and perverse generation, how long will I be with you? How long will I endure you? Bring the boy here to me.' Jesus rebuked him and the demon came out of him, and from that hour the boy was cured. Then the disciples approached Jesus in private and said, 'Why could we not drive it out?' He said to them, 'Because of your little faith. Amen, I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.'"
Associated for the Lasallian Mission . . . an act of HOPE (2.3.1): "Lasallians, by their very presence in the mission, bring personal and communal life experiences to their service in association. Their own experience of community relationships is a significant part of the vital role they play in the lives of the young. For it is these young people who recognize in them not only their professional expertise but recognize even more their experience of God, their ethical behavior and their ability to foster healthy supportive relationships."
While reading this gospel, I could not help but think of our discussion of tiered interventions on Friday. I could hear us, both in memory and in the voices of the future, say "How did (name) get to Tier 2? Tier 3? An invitation to leave?" The very core of faith is a decision to be in relationship with God. As the gospel and the circular on Lasallian association suggest, the answer to the question of why the young people entrusted to our care might choose to leave, or be invited to leave, is rooted in the association with God and this community that we did, or did not, pass on to them. There is great value in what we record in our logs, and this should not be ignored or neglected. However, will we first consider the connection that the young people whom we list have to this school community? Are they participating in extracurriculars? Have they made friends? Have they found a niche? Have we invited them to see God here? Are we, as teachers, aware of their personal situations?
"You will say to them, 'Move from Tier 3 to Tier 1', and they will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."
Live, Jesus, in our hearts!