Love

Speaking with teachers in 2015, Pope Francis reminded his audience that, “As Jesus taught us, the Law and the Prophets are summed up in two commandments: love the Lord your God and love your neighbour (cf. Mt 22:34-40). We can ask ourselves: who is a teacher’s neighbour? Your students are your “neighbour”! It is with them that you spend your days. It is they who await guidance, direction, a response — and, even before that, good questions!”

We need to keep on loving. The early Christians knew this and focused on the importance of love within their communities. The phrase ‘building up’ was often used as St Paul encouraged the fledgling communities to seek the best in each other and to use actions that allowed for encounters of grace and goodness. As Oscar Romero reminds us:

We plant the seeds that one day will grow.

We water seeds already planted,

knowing that they hold future promise.

We lay foundations that will need further development.

Let us be encouraged that the good relationships we are building now in faith and life will shelter and nurture those who come after. Let us particularly focus on our students at the start of this new school year. How do we build up our school and classroom communities?

Adapted from Love is in the Air - Australian Catholics