Mission Report – November 29, 2018

In the last Crest, I invited you to consider a series of questions. How do we invite students to expand their horizons freely so that they take up the responsibility of living a life worthy of their human capacity and dignity? How do we awaken within their hearts the desire to know the truth, to choose the good, to act with courage to bring about the good in the world, and to form commitments that will guide them to a beautiful life? How indeed?

There are as many varieties of education as there are relationships between parents and children, students and teachers, friends and strangers, because education into freedom and responsibility is a deeply personal encounter. However, the foundation is a relationship of trust between people, for this is how we come to know the great mystery that is life. A person may limit their knowledge to what they have personally experienced, questioned, understood and judged to be the case. We can indeed come to know what is real if we follow that path, but what we know of reality is limited by the horizon of our own experiences.

Far richer, wider, higher, fuller of depth, is the knowledge that comes from trusting another person, to accept in faith and love the wisdom that another person generously offers. Our world expands when we believe. Whom we trust is important in the expansion of our horizons, so that we may indeed share in the wisdom of a community that engages with the questions of a flourishing human life, creating a life worthy of our human capacity and dignity.

Christmas approaches -“ the celebration of the Incarnation when God lovingly accepted a human nature. In Jesus, we encounter a human life perfected in love and wisdom. For the sake of our friendship with Jesus, in faith and trust, we become personally involved in questions of truth, goodness, beauty, justice and integrity. For the sake of our friendship with Jesus, we endure in our search to find the answer to our deepest desire -“ the answer that directs us to love without limit. Friendship with Jesus changes us forever, in fact, makes us capable of freely choosing eternal life with God. Nothing less is at stake in education.

May the blessings of this year broaden your horizons. May the joy of Christmas overflow in your family. May we ever grow together in love as we create a hope-filled future. – –