To Teach or not to Teach

When I was recommended to take a two-year regency program, the first thing that came to my mind was, "What am I going to do in a year? (since half of my program will be prepared by my formators)" Maybe help in the parish, stay at home, or take a vacation; these were my options. All of a sudden, one of my classmates, who also happened to have the same fate as I, said, "I want to teach catechism to students!" What I do not know is that that was the beginning of my "teaching career."

Teaching catechism to students is not something new or different to me. We are trained in the seminary to speak publicly, study the tenets of the faith, and learn the different approaches of teaching catechism. We put it into practice by going to different schools teaching catechism to students and see if we are effective proclaimers of God's message. This is the activity that I like the most. Why? Because it gives me the opportunity to share to them the beauty of our faith and the abounding love of God for us. However, as the Academic Year 2015-2016 ends, I realized that teaching is not a piece of cake.

Here, I am teaching the children about the theological virtues before the
Simbang Gabi in the seminary.

Currently, I teach catechism in San Lorenzo School and in Adelina 1 Complex Elementary School, both in the City of San Pedro in the Province of Laguna. I handle the whole High School Department in the former and Grades 5 and 6 in the latter. The first thing I encountered when I started on July 2015 was the making of lesson plans. I am required to make a lesson plan for each year level. Of course, it was tough on my part, especially it was a BIG LOAD of paperworks! Fortunately, I have textbooks to the rescue. (Thank God!) Next thing is that I have to memorize the names of my students, which is not my field of expertise. (Sorry my dear students!) Another thing is the checking of exam papers and essays. (Another load of paperworks!) But the most challenging part of being a catechist is this: to live-out what you preach, to become witnesses of God's love!

When St. John Paul II coined the term "new evangelization," he did not call for new techniques to be applied in proclaiming God's message nor introduced a new way of preaching. Rather, he emphasized that we must "walk our talk" which our Lord Jesus Christ had shown us. He is what he preach. He calls us to imitate Him, "to be holy as He is holy." Yes, it is a difficult thing to do but it is the only way in which man will learn for EXPERIENCE IS THE BEST TEACHER! When one experiences what was being taught by the catechist, the lesson becomes a part of him and he will never depart from it. This is the best way for students to learn.

Posing with our professor in Religious Education,
Rev. Fr. Rico Villareal (4th from the right).

Lately, I asked myself, "Am I worthy to teach? Am I a good example to my students? Do I give my lessons well? Will I continue to teach or not?" Aside from the lesson plans and paperworks, becoming a role model to students is the most challenging requirement of being a catechist. I am not the exemplary model that my students can look up to nor expect to. But who among us is worthy? I believe that this is where the mercy of God enters. When we admit our weaknesses and flaws, we rely on the mercy of God which renews us and His love which fills up what we lack. Accepting that we are just mere instruments of God is the key towards achieving the goal of evangelization.

While watching the live streaming of the concurrent sessions of the 51st International Eucharistic Congress in Cebu, there was a lay person who asked if it was possible that priests should be the one teaching catechism in schools since they are, after all, alter Christus. The speaker replied that all of us when we were baptized, share in the priestly role of Jesus, the common priesthood. Although there is a difference between ordained priesthood and common priesthood, the goal is the same: to share Jesus to the world. ALL OF US are called to show Christ to those who need Him the most and lead them to the path towards salvation. How? Follow the greatest commandments given by our Lord: love God above all and love your neighbor as you love yourself.

Given all these realizations, I can say that teaching has taught me two things: when you teach, you also learn, and; prayer is an indispensable part of evangelization. I am glad that God gave me the opportunity to inspire young ones and get them to know Him better. To teach or not teach? I think you already know the answer.

The joy of teaching.