“Who is the best teacher you ever had? I’m sure that you can recall one or perhaps several teaches rather quickly. I can name a few of mine that were in the very first rank. They were skilled in maintaining interest and converting information. The increased my understanding their subject. They are with me still in my memory of their material and of their enthusiasm for teaching.” (p 39)

As I read this quoter from Fr. John Crossin, O.S.F.S. book “Everyday Virtues” many women and men who have nurtured my curiosity came to mind almost immediately. So I sat down and made a list which quickly morphed from those teachers in the classroom to those teachers of life that have been vital in my development as a man, a priest and a Christian.
The teachers who filled my classroom experience with so much joy often came later in my schooling. I will readily admit that my studies and grades did not live up to my ability for many years and this is where the outside teachers came in to my thoughts. As a young boy I dreamed of being a Marine and serving our country (I had a strong John Wayne infatuation) and for many years, especially early in high school my dreams lead me to discount education. At the end of my sophomore year the Marine Corps recruiter came to visit and I was able to make an appointment with him. When I walked into the room after a brief conversation he closed my school records and stated the Marine’s didn’t want me. I was dumbstruck. He looked at me directly in the eyes and said baldly, “Why would we want you? You clearly don’t do your best. The Marines only want the best.” Believe it or not, those three small sentences were burned into my brains and kickstarted my betterment of my academic progress. While this Marine recruiter was never a classroom teacher, this quick lesson is one that called me back to be in the words of Matthew Kelly, “The best version of myself” a version that two years later took the oath of a United States Marine.
As a classroom teacher for eight years in Catholic schools I was honored and blessed to work with hundred of wonderful families and their children. I know from both sides of the desk the influence and gifts that teachers share with their students. It is the power of words lift up or pull down the dreams of people. This was one of the reasons that I chose to teach in Catholic schools, to be able to share the truth, love and forgiveness of Jesus’ words I could not do in other settings. Because, it is often not the long journey of learning a new subject or master a new skill that we are thankful for, rather it is many times the simple phrase or word which impacts us greatly.
This is how God works in our life…yes, we learn through the long journey of life but more often it is the little blast of the Holy Spirit and the nudging of Guardian Angel that change the direction to make the journey fruitful. Throughout scripture and the stories of our faith the little light that becomes the beacon of hope, joy and blessing. And here is the but…but it takes work and can at times be difficult because it requires the readjustment and reevaluation of the habits of life.
Getting back to the teacher…one life lesson given by a professor at Holy Names College, my advisor Dr. Richard Yes, who taught philosophy. He reminded me one day with a few small word about gentleness and kindness in the arguments of life…especially in philosophical debates.
Fr. Crossin writes, “Ultimately we seek understanding of God’s work in our hearts. The great saints and mystics tell us that God comes to us, embraces us, in the deepest forms of prayer. Here our understanding gives way to the experience of the divine.” (p 41)
Let us give thanks to all teachers in our lives and especially pray that we may keep our ears, eyes and hearts open to the embrace of God’s nudging and give thanks to god who blesses us with his love.
God bless
Fr. Mark