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Sixth Meditation
What must be done to be true cooperators with Jesus Christ for the salvation of children
196.1 First Point
Saint Augustine said that for angels, angel described what they did, spirit described who they were. And in this meditation, De La Salle starts by reminding the brothers that just as the guardian angels had a specific mission, namely to protect the one they were to protect, so too did the brothers have a similar mission.
I can certainly confirm that one cannot be a good teacher unless there is a deep concern for the students. As one very wise educator said to me, “Students will not care to learn until they learn you care.” Time and again this has been clear to me in my life as a teacher. Many students I have taught had an awful lot going on in their lives where care was really important.
But what the teacher (or brother) is to do is to recognize that the primary way this is done is not relying on their own efforts. It is rather an exercise in a prayerful relationship with God. “It is your duty to go up to God every day in prayer to learn from him all that you must teach the children and then to come down to them by accommodating them at their level in order to instruct them
about what God has communicated for them to you in your prayer, as well as in Holy Scripture, which contains the truths of religion and the maxims of the holy Gospel.”
196.2 Second Point
For De La Salle, again, the question is how the brothers fulfill the ministry of the angels in their own ministry. There is a two-fold project here. First, and foremost, to help the students to see the blessings of following God. The students are inspired to follow Jesus and to learn of His gift of salvation.
But the angels also serve as protectors so that the children do not do things that would cause them to lose salvation. They are “guardians” because they protect the children from falling off of the cliff and into sin.
And so the brothers, of course, in the mind of De La Salle are to do the same. Their ministry is both protecting the children and keeping them safe, but also to correct the unruly child so that the gift of salvation is not lost. This is no small commitment from De La Salle. Rather, it is living life in a manner worthy of the call, which specifically means laying down one’s life for their students, much like Brother James Mueller did in Guatemala.
196.3 The Third Point
In this third section, De La Salle uses the pattern first established by Saint Paul as the means to facilitate the conversion of the students. They are to be encouraged to do nothing to sadden the Holy Spirit, to give up their former way of life, and to imitate Jesus in his forgiveness and love.
Of course this is not easy. And for De La Salle, the challenge is to recognize the important role of reflecting upon the past actions of the brothers in their efforts to do this. Have they cooperated with God’s grace? Have they recognized the care of the angels in their own ministry to their students? Have they themselves renounced their former way of life so as to provide a pathway for the students?
Questions to Ponder
Do you ever consider the role of the guardian angels in your ministry, and if not, how might doing so encourage you to become a better teacher and minister?
How do you encourage your own students to grow in faith? How do you grow in faith?
In what ways has the pathway of Saint Paul helped you in your role to facilitate the conversion and growth in faith of your students?
