Reflection on Temperament

One of our faculty members sends out reflections for each week's Gospels. He links us to a site that provides some pretty insightful information on the upcoming Good News. Today's had me thinking....

The author writes: "We need to view God, always, as non-coercive, as an invitation. This has immense implications for everything to do with church and religion, from how we preach, to how we catechize, to how we do liturgy, to how we reach out to those who don’t share our beliefs, to how we approach divisive moral issues, to how loud we turn up the sound system in our churches. God’s voice is not a loud, coercive, overbearing, threatening voice, one that gets into your face whether you like it or not. Rather, God’s voice invites in, beckons, leaves you free, and is as non-threatening as the innocence and powerlessness of a baby—or a saint."

How profound!
Often, I get caught up in the management aspect of my classroom. It is impossible not to strive for organization, peace, control, etc. However, in doing so, I think I sometimes lose the God in me. The peaceful God. The quiet God. The one who is inviting. My voice does not beckon, or leave anyone feeling free.
I guess I wonder what the balance is between enforcing what must be upheld in my classroom and allowing them the space to understand my love for them, my care and concern I actually do have for them.

Just thoughts to take into consideration.
How gentle He is with us, how patient He is with us, how kind He is to us.... all of which I would hope my students would see in me.




For the reflection in full:
http://liturgy.slu.edu/4EasterC042510/reflections_rolheiser.html