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Connections. . .
January 16, 2000
Second Sunday of the Year
John was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said, "Behold, the Lamb of God!" The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus. - John 1:35-42
Philip found Nathaniel and said to him, "We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth...Come and see." -John 1:43-51
An extraordinary teacher
Early in the school year, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. But rather than quietly taking her leave and turning her sixth grade class over to a replacement teacher, she gathered the children together and told them frankly about the disease, about the surgery and therapy she would undergo, about her hopes for recovery. The students were deeply impressed that she trusted them with her news. Before going to the hospital, she laid out lesson plans for the teacher who would be taking her place.
Although she could have stayed home for the rest of the year on medical leave while the substitute handled her class, as soon as she healed from the mastectomy she began going in to school one afternoon a week, then two, then a full day, then two and three days, to read with the children and talk with them and see how they were doing -- and to let them see how she was doing. When a parent worried aloud that she might be risking her health for the sake of the children, the teacher scoffed, "Oh, heavens no! They're my best medicine." Besides, these children would be in the sixth grade once, and she meant to help all she could while she had the chance.
The therapy must have worked because seven years later she's still going strong. And her generosity of spirit and extraordinary trust in her students taught them a lesson in hope and healing that none will ever forget.
[From Hunting for Hope: A Father's Journeys by Scott Russell Sanders.]
CONNECTION: This wonderful teacher challenged her sixth graders to "come and see" -- come and see the fragileness of life and the preciousness of time, come and see the hope and possibilities we have to live productive, meaningful lives despite the challenges we all must confront and the suffering we all must endure. As this extraordinary teacher did for her class, God gives us the grace and courage to "come and see" the mysterious love and meaning of God's gift of life; as Jesus reveals to his friends and disciples the love of God as Father for them, we are called to reveal to others all that God has done for us and help them realize their own gifts and potential to greatness; as John, Andrew and Philip introduced the Messiah to their family and friends, we are called to point to the Messiah in our selflessness and our commitment to reconciliation, justice and mercy.n
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