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Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Catholic Schools Foundation

Friday, January 24, 2025Culture

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The question of where God is calling us is a foundational question for a Catholic school.

Recently, my son sent me a cartoon. It was the image of Jesus and the Twelve Apostles at a restaurant table, and Jesus is ordering for the group. He has a sheepish grin on his face as he says, "We will just have water." This comical image of Jesus out with his friends, having a little fun, is a reminder that Jesus was fully human. As the advertising campaign says, "He Gets Us."
In Catholic schools throughout the archdiocese, students see crucifixes in their classrooms and at Mass. The image of Christ, broken and sacrificed for our sins. This is a heavy image and an example of love and commitment that is generally beyond our human experience. What is far more relatable to our experience is the wedding feast at Cana that was proclaimed in the Gospel last week.
As I imagine the scene, I picture Jesus hanging out with friends he has not seen in a while when his mom pulls up to ask him for help. His response is not, "Sure, Mom!" He comes across as a little annoyed, "Woman, how does your concern affect me?" Mary ignores Jesus' protestations, like any mom, and simply says to the servers, "Do whatever he tells you." She has full faith and trust in Jesus and knows he will not fail.

Jesus will not fail, and Jesus understands our lived experience. He had a mom and dad; he had family dynamics, and he had friends and experiences like we all do. The fact that the wedding feast of Cana is his first miracle affirms for me that Jesus is accessible and that Mary is not just speaking to the servers, but she is speaking to us when she says, "Do whatever he tells you." The question is, what is Jesus telling us? Where is God calling us in life?
The question of where God is calling us is a foundational question for a Catholic school. A Catholic school exists because it is an opportunity to invite people to come to know the Gospel. Yes, academics are important, and yes, Catholic education has done more than any entity in time to eradicate illiteracy and to move people out of poverty, but most of all, it has shown people a path to God. Catholic education makes Jesus accessible to students and families.
The first miracle was not some profound activity; they ran out of wine and Mary knew Jesus could help. Similarly, going to school is seemingly a mundane activity, but Catholic schools are different. Catholic schools go far beyond simply learning academic skills. A Catholic education is a profound experience; it opens students and families to simple but important questions that help lead people to God: Why does this school exist? Who is Jesus? Why do these teachers work here? Seeking answers to these questions leads to more questions, and they all come back to the Gospel.
Catholic schools give students and their families an opportunity to see that they are known and loved by God and that Jesus is real. There will be days like Jesus at the wedding feast of Cana, where we may not want to get involved, but we must do what we are called to do to live the Gospel. We must follow the example of the Gospel and remember Mary's words to the servers: "Do whatever he tells you."
Next week, as Catholic Schools Week is celebrated, it is an opportunity to recognize the teachers, administrators, pastors, and board members who animate Catholic schools, and the religious sisters who built the foundation for Catholic education here in Boston. It is also a chance to celebrate the volunteers, donors, and other friends of Catholic education who work to support this vital work.
Catholic education changes lives, it changes families, it changes communities, and most of all, Catholic education invites people to get to know and love God and feel his love and presence in their lives.

- Michael B. Reardon is executive director of the Catholic Schools Foundation, www.CSFBoston.org.