The Annals of Saint Anne - Summary
SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2024
Editor's desk François-Marie Héraud
To Whom Shall We Go?
A Japanese proverb says, “Better than a thousand days of diligent study is one day with a great teacher.” Let us take a minute to think about this a little. On a double-pan balance, place a thousand days of diligent study on one side, and a single day on the other. This seems completely unfair, totally absurd. The proverb goes even further, because the scales tip. A single meagre day with this great teacher weighs much more than the thousand days of hard work.
This old proverb is rather surprising. Would such a teacher be more precious than the treasure of time? Who could this remarkable teacher be? And, above all, what could he or she teach that is so important?
Of course, each of us has memories of going to school, of learning to read, write, and count. Sometimes, we had to make an enormous effort, perhaps pull an all-nighter and maybe even a few tears due to results that did not live up to our expectations.
(John 6:68-69)
And what about all these teachers in “everyday life” whose encounters are transfiguring.
Of course, it is up to each of us to choose the path that we wish to follow despite the unforeseen, the pitfalls, the failures. Choosing is demanding and sometimes quite difficult. But the moment comes when it is necessary to decide, to make up your mind. Because you have to carefully take this first step in order to be able to walk the whole way. This step, this choice is therefore crucial.
In the Gospel of John, a question opens the Way, the Truth and the Life. A question that each of us is the only one who can answer. Without a doubt, the answer will shape us and guide our journey. It is Simon Peter who asks this question to Christ. Then he himself responds, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that You are the Holy One of God.”
(John 6:68-69)
To whom shall we go? With which great teacher would we like to spend one day, the most significant day in our life?
United in prayers!
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Pathways of God
Paul-André Durocher, Archbishop of Gatineau.
Teaching
When people spoke to Jesus, they often called Him “Teacher.” There were many teachers in Israel at that time, but there was something special about Jesus, something that made Him stand out. Priests, scribes, Pharisees and doctors of the Law would all study the Scriptures and the Covenant to determine how it applied to many diverse situations and explain it to the people. Jesus says of them, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat; therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it.” (Mt 23:2-3a)
In a way, Jesus was like them. Yet, His teaching was unique. For one thing, His life embodied His teaching. People recognized the truth of His words because He lived them out with integrity. This did not seem to be the case with the scribes. Jesus critiqued them severely, “Do not do as they do, for they do not practise what they teach.” (Mt 23:3b) Jesus, on the other hand, knew how “to walk the talk.”
Matthew notes another difference when in his concluding comment in the Sermon on the Mount, he points out the people’s reaction, “Now when Jesus had finished saying these words, the crowds were astounded at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority and not as their scribes.” (Mt 7:28-29) Authority implies that someone stands behind you to confirm your power to act and speak. Who stood behind Jesus? God the Father. Jesus Himself acknowledged this when He affirmed, “No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.” (Mt 11:27) The source of Jesus’ teaching was His deep relationship with the Father, a relationship which gave Him great authority.
“Our faith todayis rooted in their teaching. May each of us strive in turn to be such
teachers for all those whom we meet.”
A third difference in Jesus’ teaching lay in what motivated His ministry, namely His compassion for all of God’s children. Mark’s Gospel tells of what happened one day after Jesus had crossed the Sea of Galilee with His Apostles, “As He went ashore, He saw a great crowd, and He had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and He began to teach them many things.” (Mk 6:34) It might seem strange that Jesus’ way of showing His compassion was to teach. However, it makes sense when we consider that, at the heart of Jesus’ teaching, was Good News: God loves us and cares for us! God is close to those who hunger and suffer! God will lift us up and comfort us! This reminds us that, as a teacher, Jesus was not focused on the minutiae of the Law but rather on the heart of the Covenant wherein God reminds us that we are loved and cherished.
Matthew tells us that Jesus’ last command to His Apostles was to continue His teaching ministry in the world, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.” (Mt 28:19-20) I imagine that they tried to teach the way that Jesus taught. They tried to practise what they preached, to put their words into action. They spoke about their living relationship with the Risen One. And they were moved to do so out of compassion, recognizing that people needed to hear the Good News of God’s everlasting love for them.
Our faith today is rooted in their teaching. May each of us strive in turn to be such teachers for all those whom we meet.
