The following reading from the prophet Ezekiel has surfaced in my prayer routines in a few different contexts over the past few weeks. As a new academic year takes flight, this passage from Sacred Scripture has inspired some reflections about the work that lies ahead for teachers, leaders, and staff members of our Catholic schools.
Ezekiel recounts one of his divinely inspired visions of both the return of the Jewish people to Israel and Christ's resurrection from the dead. He sees a valley of dry bones over which God commands him to tell bones to "hear the word of the Lord" (37:4) because Ezekiel will "make breath enter you so you may come to life" (37:5) so that "you shall know that I am the Lord" (37:6):
...I prophesied as I had been commanded. A sound started up, as I was prophesying, rattling like thunder. The bones came together, bone joining to bone. As I watched, sinews appeared on them, flesh grew over them, skin covered them on top, but there was no breath in them.
Then he said to me: Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man! Say to the breath: Thus says the Lord GOD: From the four winds come, O breath, and breathe into these slain that they may come to life.
I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath entered them; they came to life and stood on their feet, a vast army.
(for the full passage, go here: Ezekiel 37:1-14)
I pray that this reading from the prophet Ezekiel will inspire our efforts as Catholic school educators:
...I prophesied as I had been commanded...
Ezekiel, even though he stood over a valley of dry bones, did as the Lord commanded him. He prophesized for the breath of the Holy Spirit to come upon the dry bones and bring them back to life. Two quick scientific insights to drive home what God has commanded Ezekiel to do: bones aren't dry unless they have been out of a body for a long time, and dry bones are dead bones.
Takeaways:
- In the moments where your ministry mirrors a minefield, call upon the Holy Spirit to fill you with His gifts: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord.
- When what God has requested of you seems impossible and trying to accomplish it seems foolish, act anyways. G.K. Chesterton described a prophet as someone who stands on his/her head to see the world aright. Let Christ use you as He sees fit for His greater glory.
...A sound started up, as I was prophesying, rattling like thunder. The bones came together, bone joining to bone. As I watched, sinews appeared on them, flesh grew over them, skin covered them on top, but there was no breath in them.
Ezekiel's first prophetic attempt to bring the bones back to life had some, but not complete, success.
Takeaway:
- Keep grinding. Keep improving. Keep working. Stay encouraged. As you work really hard to bring students to fullness of life in Jesus Christ and experience disproportionately small success, DO NOT GIVE UP. A prophet acknowledges dire circumstances, recognizes the need for God's truth and goodness, and breathes HOPE into the situation so that it can and will improve.
...Then he said to me: Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man! Say to the breath: Thus says the Lord GOD: From the four winds come, O breath, and breathe into these slain that they may come to life.
I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath entered them; they came to life and stood on their feet, a vast army.
- Remain faithful to the call you have received to "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you" (Mt. 28:19-20).
- Trust that our efforts to educate in the Catholic faith and intellectual traditions will create a "vast army" for God's Kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven. Remember that "(t)he vocation of every Catholic educator includes the work of ongoing social development: to form men and women who will be ready to take their place in society, preparing them in such a way that they will make the kind of social commitment which will enable them to work for the improvement of social structures, making these structures more conformed to the principles of the Gospel" (Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education, 1982, para. 19).
- The word "inspired" means "God breathed" in Greek. As such, those of us inspired by the Holy Spirit must breathe new life into others. Allow the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to resurrect the dry bones inside of you so that you can, in turn, breathe His life into others.
