Gospel for September 6 2020 – Matthew 18:15-20
Gospel Reflections for September 6 2020
School has started!
We have begun another academic year at St. Bruno and so are especially glad to welcome our new families! Of course, it is remote learning until we can safely open for in-person classes.
Do you remember your first day of school? Social scientists believe that day begins an important transition. For the first time, you spent a lot of time without your family nearby and in the company of hundreds of children and adults you did not know at all.
Some students discover that behavior that they considered normal in the intimate setting of their home just does not go over too well at school! They receive all kinds of new behavioral guidelines from teachers, staff, and even fellow students. They are a major factor in molding behavior to fit well into new and larger social groups, from school, to college, and then finally …to the world.
Each new group you enter modifies your behavior. If the group is healthy and morally straight, it can guide even troubled youth to much better behavior. However, a bad group can make healthy children turn for the worse. In a sense …you become the group you join!
That is strong motivation for a school, family, or parish, to make sure everything we do helps young people grow up well. You can be proud that our excellent school faculty and staff and supportive parents together provide a healthy environment for young people to discover just how to behave appropriately in this great big world. We prepare our students for success and happiness both here …and in every stage of their future life.
The Gospel today affirms the importance of good-willed people to correct each other’s behavior …and how to do it well. (see my article on Gossip and Rumors) A healthy parish can turn anyone toward a happier path.
I remember years ago hearing some challenging advice from good friends that helped me change some bad habits I had developed. I was glad they respectfully and courageously spoke up! I would rather know how I might be hurting someone than remain ignorant and cause even bigger problems, so I was deeply grateful for their help.
Jesus founded a Church that follows His example closely and reconciles troubled people back to healthy relationships. Let us model our behavior on the Lord …for success and happiness now and every day of our life.
God Bless!
Fr. Dave
Beautifully expressed Father Dave!!! Being a Kindergarten teacher at St. Jude for 20 years, and loveeeeeeed it, our St. Jude school promoted those precious messages you have related to us!! Model our behavior on the Lord!!! Loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee it!!! Our beautiful grandchild Gemma attends a lovely Catholic School in LaJolla and they beautifully teach our Jesus’ love and way of life!! The challenge in life is that we live Jesus’ love and touch others with that love!!! Loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee our precious Jesus!! Loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee our precious faith and loveeeeeeeeeeeeeee you and all our loving priests who give us the precious gift of our Jesus!!!
Loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, Franca and Dick
How great that your grandchild is learning so well the love of God!
Your advice is wonderful having had 5 children in 8 years. We all need advice like this. Thank you very much.
I have a funny story about my last one going to KGN. I worked at the public school and the first day of school one of my jobs was to take the KGN children to their classroom well it was my little son, Chris’ Kgn year so I walk him down to the class and took him and left and I heard this little voice “Mommy”, he was hanging on the door wanting to follow me. The last one of 5, you know, the baby. He was fine. But it was funny and his brothers and sisters every once in a while as adults remind him. Big families. God bless,
Charming story! Lovingly remembered after all these years.
Amen Father Dave and God Bless our Catholic schools!🙏🏻
Yes, our Catholic Schools need to remain viable in every new generation!
The Epistle made it clear to me. Love one another. Not always easy but it can be a choice. Not always easy. But through making the right choice there is success. When at odds we can simply agree to disagree and there is no failure in that.
I was in a discussion with a teacher today who has it rough cause half of her kids were on line and for 2nd and 3rd graders it just isn’t fair. However we got into a talk about technique and we disagreed on some things about technique and never came to an agreement but that was cause we saw things from a different light. So we left the table still as friends. Life is too short and I wish I had come to that conclusion many years before.
How great that you could disagree with that teacher yet remain friends. That is a skill much needed today!
Watched Mass from St. Bruno again today and just read this, so I got “Double Fr. Dave” today – which is a good thing! I officially retired from SPBS in June. My two youngest adult daughters with CF moved home so we have been locked down tight.. Now that I’m not teaching, maybe Mark and I will be able to do the Holy Land trip with you!
Listening to your sermon today made me remember the days you taught morality to my 8th grade classes. Correcting all those essay tests really drove those lessons home! Thank you!
I remember fondly those years teaching morality to the eighth grade. You were a great help there as well. Looking forward to your joining the Holy Land trip sometime.