Happy Catholic Teacher's Day!

Aside from celebrating the world teacher's day, so there is this Catholic teacher's day. But what differentiates a Catholic teacher from other teachers?

In the trainings I gave to some school teachers, I left them with a Bible quote "Many are called, but few are chosen". Jesus' apostles are no way different from a Catholic teacher. Jesus called many, but few were chosen to become witnesses to Christ's love, mercy, kindness and self-lessness. They took the narrow road and they too were persecuted.

Many heeded the vocation of Catholic teaching, but few stands out to live up the calling. Those who remained devoted to their profession continue to burn their wick to be light unto others, that they may know where they are going.

Seven years of my teaching here and abroad were spent in non-sectarian schools, the other seven were spent in Catholic schools. I appreciate the latter because I feel I make myself vulnerable to Christ's teachings and that I sense more intimacy with God. I feel that Catholic school as a community is a fertile ground where my faith will grow.

A self-made crisis helped me realize that teaching is where God wants me to be. Likewise, I have had discernment that teaching is not different after all from evangelizing. One protestant friend who is also a teacher have always convinced me to devote more of my time to becoming full witness to God's word. I remained with my position that I can be an evangelist as well even if I am in the classroom. With all my heart and mind, I sensed no conflict that teaching is the ministry where Christ wants me to be.

Even if I serve in the Liturgical Ministry in our parish, my ministry still calls for me to share my core gift of teaching others in the group. One can stand a witness to the Gospel by living up its teachings with integrity, through having passion for teaching without being lorded by its yoke, incentives and authority. Teaching that inspires life transformation, positive changes in behavior, excellent motivations to succeed, acceptance and respect for others and all other virtues are not only rooted in the philosophies of education, but in the Gospel of Christ.

Teaching is demanding and the demand is most often not justly compensated. It can be stressful especially when the teacher needs to deal with difficult students, colleagues and superiors. Some of those students even scorn their teachers for not submitting to their whims. Those are the teacher's persecutions. But we are at ease and our faith keeps on burning when we notice that our students are able to learn from us and in everything we do together in the course, amidst the storm and temptations.

What I learned is that Christ evoked us teachers to embrace everyone in love. Find the lost and bring them back into flock. Teach the astray to look up to what is great and virtuous. Tend the sheep. Teach men how to fish and not just give them fish. Feed those hungry for life learning more than knowledge. Embrace the lepers, and take good care of the sick and the needy. These are the apostolic work of teachers. To others, these are not clear, they just don't see the value of Catholic teaching.

Catholic education has long played a vital historical role in the formation of societies. Many were canonized saints who lived their life as teachers. Catholic teachers, you are Christ alive, and your works are witness of the Gospel. Wasn't Jesus called "Rabbi" which means teacher? Happy Catholic Teacher's Day!