This past week I had a few opportunities to help some of our youngest students grow in their understanding of right and wrong. Earlier in the week I watched one child pull another child down in the playground right outside my office. I went outside and chatted with this precious darling (during a brief time-out). We talked about why this was not a wise choice. Within 24 hours of that encounter, I chatted with another beautiful child in my office. This second child had been unkind to another child. Both were endearing conversations for me and hopefully enlightening conversations for the children.
When I inquired about why what they did was “wrong,” in each instance, the flow of the conversations went something like this:
It is wrong because I will get in trouble.
There is a bigger reason, I said.
It is wrong because I might have to go to Mrs. Renken’s office.
That is true, you might, I replied. But, there is even a bigger reason.
Well… we might get kicked out of school?
That is always a possibility, but, there is even a BIGGER reason, I continued.
Blank looks!
They were dumbfounded… what could be bigger? They had no clue. So, of course, I took the opportunity to teach them about the biggest reason we don’t want to engage in hurtful behaviors: when we hurt another, we are hurting the God who resides in the depth of the other.
The problem (or beauty) of this line of thinking is that it would only be a compelling reason to not be hurtful to others if, in fact, we want to maintain a relationship with God.
Here is the good news: To help our students understand that being in a loving relationship with the Creator of the Universe is the MOST IMPORTANT thing in life, is one of the main tasks of a Sacred Heart education. Our most SACRED task and our deepest desire is to communicate and educate our children to the fact that being in relationship with God IS the joy of our life, the solace in our challenges and the essence of life’s meaning and purpose.
Having inspired our students to desire to be in relationship with this God of love, the logic of ‘What we do to the least of our brothers and sisters we do unto God’ actually then becomes a reason for wanting to be kind and good to others.
So, as we enter into Holy Week, let us not only allow ourselves to experience God’s Good and Gracious Love for us, but let us also inspire our children to want to come to know this God of Love who chose to suffer for the sake of Love and who invites us into Life and Love.
If we do this for our children, the choice to “do good” or “be good” will then be easy. Why? Because they will do it for the sake of the One they have come to love who resides in each person they encounter.
May your Holy Week, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday be a beautiful experience of Love, Life, Goodness and Growth into God!
Maureen Glavin, rscj
