Apr 07th - John Baptist de la Salle

I had the grace, pleasure, and good fortune to live, eat, and pray among Christian Brothers one summer and though they gave me grief about being "clerical" I was impressed by the dedication of lay men to the education of youth and to creating a community that did so. Their dedication to educating the whole person not just in religious matters but in growth of spirit, mind, and body goes directly to the Catholic teachings on formation.
They also made a mean martini.
I'm not sure I can attribute the latter to John, but definitely the former. My own feelings about being a teacher and catechist were influenced by these men and their founder.
John Baptist, help us to instruct others with kindness and compassion and to teach as Christ taught.

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Since you are ambassadors and ministers of Jesus Christ in the work that you do, you must act as representing Jesus Christ himself. He wants your disciples to see him in you and receive your teaching as if he were teaching them. They must be convinced that the truth of Jesus Christ comes from your mouth, that it is only in his name that you teach, that he has given you authority over them. They are a letter which Christ dictates to you, which you write each day in their hearts, not with ink, but by the Spirit of the living God. For the Spirit acts in you and by you through the power of Jesus Christ. ...Your zeal for the children under your guidance would be very imperfect, if you expressed it only in teaching them; it will only become perfect if you practice yourself what you are teaching them. Example makes a much greater impression on the mind and heart than words. This is especially true of children, since they do not yet have sufficient capacity for reflection, and ordinarily model themselves on the example of their teachers. They are led more readily to do what they see done for them than to carry out what they hear told to them, particularly when the words they hear are not in harmony with the actions they see.


-- From Meditations for the Time of Retreat