Sunday was the feast of Christ the King - Cristo Rey. This feast was begun by Pope Pius XI in 1925 as a way of emphasizing the importance of Christ against the growing secular orientation of Europe. But what does this mean for us as educators?
I think this feast emphasizes the importance of understanding why we do what we do. A short video from the comedian Michael Jr. to explain "why", as opposed to "what":
In the feast's first reading, God says "I tend my sheep. I will rescue them from every place where they were scattered when it was cloudy and dark. . . The lost I will seek out, the strayed I will bring back, the injured I will bind up, the sick I will heal." We seek out the lost student, bringing them back to educate them, caring for their personal and academic wounds, and carrying them back to safety. This is what we do.
"Because you are taking his [Christ's] place, consider that you are obliged to [be the shepherd]" (De La Salle, Med. 196.1). We shepherd our students because we stand in Christ's place. Being the face, arms, and voice of Christ the King for our students is our why.
The what is the daily action of every educator here. But the reason that we impress and inspire is because of the why. Have you considered the why today?
Live, Jesus, in our hearts!