Pope Francis: To be a teacher is to live a mission
Pope Francis greets Sisters from the Maestre Pie Filippini Institute, and pilgrims from the Italian dioceses of Viterbo and Civitavecchia-Tarquinia, which bundled children producing their First Communion, and underlines that we cannot be written content with “training” Jesus if we do not bear witness to Him.
By Vatican News personnel reporter
The Sisters and pilgrims were collected in the Vatican to mark the 350th anniversary of the start of St Lucia Filippini, their foundress and an educator who set Jesus at the centre of her daily life.
Instructing and mission
Reflecting on the operate of the Institute and the word Maestre, which implies instructors, the Pope centered on a proverb which suggests that “1 does not train what 1 understands, but what a single is.”
He defined that “we transmit to other folks what we are inside. It is not enough to fill one’s head with concepts, that is not educating to teach is to transmit life.”
“To be a teacher is to live a mission,” he said.
He urged the Sisters to comply with the instance of their Foundress, who he explained, “can support you to dwell this mission.”
Transmission of faith
Pope Francis observed that St Lucia knew how to teach so lots of, very first of all since she herself under no circumstances ceased to be a disciple of Jesus the Teacher and to stand before Him at the foot of the cross.
He went on to say that the Saint transmitted as a result of education what she retained in her heart, that is, a enjoy of God.
The Pope underlined that 1 can’t be material with “educating” Jesus if we are not witnesses to Him.
“This is how faith is transmitted,” he mentioned.
The evidence of this, Pope Francis emphasised, “is our openness to many others: individuals who know the Lord do not shut themselves away in the vestry, but reside to provide, without the need of caring where or what they are questioned to do.”
Dealing with issues
Turning his consideration to the complications of religious existence and the absence of vocations, he made available some information, which he reported, was not an instant answer to these challenges but a way to deal with them.
He reminded those people collected “to dwell consecration as a get in touch with to company. This is what allows Jesus to work in us as He wishes.”
He extra that “we will be great lecturers if we stay disciples, named just about every working day to serve, with joy.”
St Lucia’s secret
In summary, Pope Francis unveiled that St Lucia Filippini experienced a key: “She lived with a frequent believe in in God, because He, she explained, ‘cannot let go of staying my Father’.”
Generally, in existence, we get worried for the reason that we have to go away a lot of issues powering: some stability, the years of youth, an aspect of wellness, perhaps beloved types, stated the Pope.
“If in lifestyle there are people and matters that quicker or later on we have to leave driving, there is a presence that will in no way go away us, a elementary certainty that will usually accompany us and that almost nothing and no 1 will ever be ready to erase: God are unable to let go of staying my father. All the things can fail us, but not the tenderness of God.”
Permit us generally bear in mind this, mentioned Pope Francis, “especially in darkish moments: God by no means abandons us, due to the fact He simply cannot permit go of currently being our Father.”