FACULTY LEADERSHIP STRENGTHENING PROGRAM

MODULE 1
JESUS: THE RABBI
Target
Participant
Faculty members
General
Objective
To provide the faculty members an opportunity to learn
together, how and what it is to be a teacher in the light of
the Gospel values.
SESSION 1. TEACHINGS OF JESUS CHRIST
Session
Objective
t the end of the session, the participants will be able to!
a. compare their teaching style with that of "esus#
b. indicate steps on how to serve as $atholic $hristian
teacher#
c. %llustrate the teaching style of "esus.
Opening
Prayer
Father in heaven, you have called each one of us to be
instrument of the reali&ation of your 'ingdom here on earth.
Give us a discerning spirit to understand your plan for us and
the courageous spirit to respond positively your will for us.
(a)e us always sensitive and jealous leaders who would
always have burning desires to ma)e our subordinates future
saints. men.
REFLECTI
ON
. Prior
'nowledg
e
*hat ma)es a good teacher+
*hat is your concept of $hristian teacher+
,. ctivity Sharing of their e-periences of teachers that have touched
their lives.
PRESENT
ATION
.
$ontent Jesus' Teaching
.u)e/s 0Sermon on the Plain0 is the Gospel e1uivalent of
Paul/s chapter on love, 2 $orinthians 23. 4ere "esus sets
forth his ethic for daily life in detail. The sermon begins with
a recognition of the disciples/ blessing as a result of God/s
grace. The rest of the sermon gives the ethical response to
being such a bene5ciary. 6isciples are to live and relate to
others in a way that stands out from how people relate to
one another in the world. They are to love and pray for their
enemies. 7ighteousness re1uires that they respond wisely to
"esus/ words by building their lives around his teaching. %n
sum, disciples are to live and loo) di8erent from the rest of
the world, even as they reach out compassionately to that
world. Summary of "esus/ (inistry 9:!2;<2=>
.u)e sets up the sermon by summari&ing "esus/ ministry
activity 9?!2?<2@, 32<3A, ?B<?2>. "esus ministers on a plain.
The term topu pedinou refers to a level place, but can refer
to a plateau area in mountainous terrain 9(t 2?!A3 compared
to 2@!A=# %s 23!A .CC# "er A2!23 .CC>. ,eyond this no speci5c
locale is given. "esus/ ministry reDects the compassion and
love he claims God has for humanity. So he heals people of
disease and e-orcises demons. The te-t emphasi&es the
power that proceeds from him. *hether they are apostles,
disciples or part of the crowd, all sorts of people receive
"esus/ ministry. "esus/ teaching and ministry e-tends beyond
insiders. 4e attempts to reach those outside his new
community. Prophetic $all of ,lessing and *oe 9:!AB<A:>
"esus/ authority was not limited to his healing activity. 4e
also taught with authority. Eothing indicates that more than
the blessing and woe section of the Sermon on the Plain. %t
recalls the Old Testament prophets. "esus thunders the truth
with promises of blessing and judgment. The four blessings
are followed by four parallel woes. This balance reDects the
theme of reversal that .u)e has presented elsewhere 92!@B<
@3# 2:!2=<32>! God does not always see things as we do. 4e
loo)s at the heart, not at e-ternals. 4e gives promises for
those who enter into grace humbly, while warning of
judgment for those who remain callous.
The )ey to the section is found in the remar)s about the Son
of (an and the comparison to the faithful and unfaithful of
old. *hen "esus spea)s of the poor or rich, he is not ma)ing
carte blanche statements about people with a certain social
or economic standing. 4is remar)s assume both Old
Testament and spiritual roots. "esus is not advocating a
political or social philosophy, he is calling people into a
spiritual relationship that God imparts to those willing to
enter his new community 9see commentary on 2!@B<@3>.
Thus the beatitudes and woes serve as a call to be
responsive to God in light of his promise of faithfulness to
those who are his. The call to love unconditionally in verses
A;<3: is a hard one to follow if we cannot trust that God will
one day e-ercise justice. The premise of the sacri5cial
spiritual life is the promise of God/s faithful justice. The
beatitudes indicate the )ind of person God desires as his
child. These blessings are not a wor)s salvation but
represent an invitation to let God mold his children into who
they ought to be. So God assures those who are needy that
he will care for them.
"esus o8ers promises to the poor, the hungry, those who
weep and those who su8er religious persecution. God sees
their spiritual commitment, which has cost them in the
poc)etboo). To people such as these God promises the
)ingdom now and blessing later, including enough to eat,
laughter and heavenly reward. Fnli)e (atthew, .u)e
includes woes, not just blessings. "esus divides human)ind
into two camps 93!2@<2G<<the purging Spirit of 5re>. %n
contrast to the blessed stand the rich, those who are well
fed, those who laugh and those who receive praise. Their
fate is sorrow, hunger, mourning and a life li)e those who
followed the false prophets. The contrast is star).
The term blessed refers to one who is the object of grace
and is happy because of it. Those who are blessed do not
face an easy life. The mention of poverty and deprivation
reDects the reality that many early $hristians were poor. %n
addition, their commitment to "esus led to their being
persecuted li)e the prophets of old. %n "ewish circles the
choice to be a disciple would have meant ostracism. The
goal of such ostracism was to punish and shame the
0defector,0 or perhaps to persuade the defector to return.
Social isolation would bring economic conse1uences.
,ut despite such opposition, disciples are blessed, since God
promises to care for them. They belong to his )ingdom and
are under his rule. The poor here are li)e the Old Testament
` nawm mentioned in the commentary on 2!@2<@?. They are
the pious poor. These beatitudes serve to comfort and
reassure those who belong to God. They stand in a long line
of the faithful, including the prophets of old. %t is often the
case that standing up for "esus and the truth brings
ostracism, but God has promised blessing to his children.
The woes also reDect prophetic tradition. woe warns of
condemnation. 4ere "esus addresses the judgment of God to
the callous rich and others who are comfortable with their
state in life while being unconcerned about the needs of
others. The lac) of a genuine spiritual dimension in their life
is seen in the comparison "esus ma)es between them and
the false prophets. For those who do not engage God on the
divinity/s terms there looms nothing but the terrible
e-pectation of a day of rec)oning. One of the dangers of
wealth is that it can lead one to believe a life of
independence is possible<<a view that "esus teaches is
arrogant and misguided 92A!23<A2>. The world/s values are
not God/s values. The reversal portrayed in the beatitudes
and woes reDects the idea that 0the one with the most toys0
often loses. God/s blessing can be found in surprising places.
%t rests on those who rest in him. The $all to H-ceptional
.ove and (ercy 9:!A;<3:>
.ove is many things in our culture. For many it can be
li)ened to an electric charge! either the &ap of the feeling is
there or it is not. For others love is an arrangement, almost
li)e a contract, sometimes voluntary, other times imposed
by circumstances. .ove for family members is not a given#
instead, events have necessitated it. (arriages often
proceed with this )ind of arranged love. s long as the
contract wor)s and the &ap is present, the arrangement is
on. Often such love is managed by performance. .ove is to
be demonstrated by what is done for me! 0%f you really
cared, you would do this for me.0
This )ind of arranged or easy love is the foil for "esus/
description of what love is for the child of God. The love
"esus calls for is none of the things described above. "esus
decries our culture/s version of love. *hat is re1uired to
possess true love is an understanding of what it is to be
loved by God and how God wishes one to love. t the center
of "esus/ sermon is a uni1ue concept of love. This love
cannot be reduced merely to the 0golden rule0# it is love that
is golden even when everything around is not.
"esus does not wait to ma)e his point on the unusual
character of such love. lthough the righteous will be
persecuted and rejected and God will judge the persecutors,
"esus issues a call to love the enemy. %n fact, "esus/ call is
speci5c! love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
*hether in attitude, action, word or intercession, the enemy
is to be loved. Too often many in the church have a 0"immy
$agney theology0 where the message is to those who do not
)now God! 0Iou dirty rat, you should not have done that.0
"esus wants more than condemnation of the outside world.
"esus/ call to disciples focuses not on our words to others,
though 22!3;<@? does issue a stinging challenge regarding
our words. 7ather, "esus &eroes in on our actions and
attitudes toward others. 4e o8ers no platitudes about how
outsiders should be viewed. There is no abstract call to
divide one/s thought by 0hating the sin, but loving the
sinner.0 True as this saying is, "esus is concerned that we
follow through on it and show our love in concrete service
for the sinner. Our model is God himself! 0God so loved the
world that he gave . . .0 9see also v. 3:>. So "esus calls for the
performance of love<<in action, thought and petition.
4ow often do we pray for those who hate the church+ The
very 1uestion shows how radically di8erent "esus/ love is
from the culture/s view of love. This is 0tough love0 because
it is tough on the believer who loves. %t is 0radical love0
because it calls for denying oneself and being continually
e-posed to abuse. %t is a love not of power, manipulation or
arrangement but of service and mee)ness.
The e-hortation is underlined by three concrete e-amples.
First, if someone stri)es you on the chee), then o8er him the
other. Probably, given the conte-t of religious persecution,
the slap refers to e-clusion from the synagogue 92 Hsdras
?!3B# Didache 2!?# Stahlin 2=;A!A:3 nn. A3<A?# for
conceptual e-amples of such violent actions, cts 2G!2;#
A2!A;AG, 32<3A# A3!A>. Such a slap would be delivered by the
bac) of the hand, though the conte-t here suggests any
action that communicates rejection. "esus/ point is that even
in the midst of such rejection, we continue to minister to
others and e-pose ourselves to the threat of rejection. The
ministry of Paul among the "ews in cts is a clear e-ample of
such love. .ove is available and vulnerable, subject to
repeated abuse.
Second, "esus gives the e-ample of someone stealing one/s
outer garment. 4e advises letting them have the undershirt
tooJ The point is that one should not see) revenge but
remain e-posed and be willing to ta)e even more ris)s. .u)e
may well be thin)ing of the danger of missionary travel in
the 5rst century or the ris) of violence against those who
professed $hrist. The situation of Sosthenes in cts 2G!2;
comes to mind, as does Paul/s ris) when he was left for dead
in cts 2?!2=. 6espite such danger, he continued to preach
to those who rejected him 92 $or ?!=<23# A $or 22!A2<<
2A!2B>. s the parable of the good Samaritan shows, travel
in "esus/ and .u)e/s day could be dangerous. %n the face of
such hostility, the call is to )eep loving the enemy.
Third, one is to be generous and not )eep account. 6isciples
should be mar)ed by a genuine readiness to meet needs. To
the one who begs, give. From the one who ta)es, do not see)
to get it bac). ,egging here probably refers to almsgiving
9(t :!2<?# Guelich 2=GA!AA3>. 7esources are not to be
hoarded, but generously dispensed. Paul reDects a similar
attitude in 2 Timothy :!G<2G. %n the case of theft, there is to
be no pursuit of retribution. Such self<denial is the essence of
love. The consummate e-ample is the cross. "esus gave to
those who had ta)en.
The sheer diKculty of these commands has led to discussion
of how literal they are. (arshall 92=;G!A:2> points out
correctly that the illustrations are somewhat 5gurative, since
to follow .u)e :!A= literally would lead to nudismJ Iet "esus/
life ma)es it clear that he too) these standards seriously.
*hen his opponents too) his life, he did not see) retribution
but prayed for their forgiveness. 4e was more interested in
giving something that would build than in retrieving what
had been ta)en. The three illustrations picture the )ind of
action that manifests radical love. The world/s standards of
love should be surpassed 9:!3A<3?>. ,ut we can only accept
such a standard if we believe that God will see and reward
the faithful. *ithout a theological view to build on, "esus/
ethics wilt into futility and foolishness.
So "esus o8ers what became )nown in the si-teenth century
as the 0golden rule0! Do to others as you would have them
do to you. The verse has Old Testament roots 9.ev 2=!2G>. %n
addition, numerous such ethical statements e-isted in
ancient "ewish and Gree) culture. "esus/ formulation of the
rule, however, is the least self<focused. "esus is not saying,
06o good deeds for others so they will return the favor.0
%nstead he is calling for actions of love regardless of how the
other responds. Eor is he saying, 0Thin) of what you li)e,
then do that for others.0 7ather, we are to be sensitive to the
needs, feelings and concerns of others and see) to meet
them. Sensitivity in love means listening and serving. This
does not mean ignoring moral limits, as "esus/ own ministry
ma)es clear, but it does mean caring enough to be
concerned about how others feel. The old adage 0wal) a mile
in my shoes0 may 5t here! loo) at things from another/s
perspective and then act with concern.
%n the modern world, this would mean not just protesting
against abortion but being prepared to care for the child that
is born to a mother who has chosen not to abort. (ore than
this, we are called to continue to love those who go ahead
with their intention to abort. %t means not just tal)ing about
ethnic oneness in the church but acting out oneness in
community, li)e Paul/s crossing ethnic lines to raise funds for
believers in need. Hven more, this passage calls us to show
tangible concern for unbelievers in need, so when someone
tells them that God loves them, they will have seen evidence
of such love.
"esus repeats his e-amples in verses 3A<3? but adds one
more point! %f we love only those who give us love, what is so
great about that )ind of love+ %t is li)e the love sinners give.
%f we do good only to those who do good to us, what is so
special about that+ %t is li)e the love sinners give. %f we lend
money only to those who will respond in )ind, what is so
honorable about that+ %t is the ethics sinners have. The clear
implication is that the disciples are not to live and love li)e
sinners. The love of believers is to be di8erent from the love
displayed by the culture. s children of God, believers have
been transformed to live in contrast to the way of sinners,
modeling the sacri5ce of radical love.
So "esus summari&es! love your enemies, do good to them,
and lend to them without expecting to get anything back.
*hen we give, it should not be with strings attached. *hen
we serve, it should be to meet needs, not to give tit for tat.
True service involves a giving that does not demand a giving
bac). The essence of relationship for the child of God is to
love and serve.
,ut "esus also attaches a theological dimension of promise to
the e-hortation! your reward will be great, and you will be
sons of the Most High. God does notice when we reDect who
he is to the world. %n such faithful, imitative service, promise
and identity merge. 4e will honor us for reDecting our
Father/s values. God will reward our love, and our love will
reDect our identity as God/s children. $hildren of God, "esus
says, are called to imitate their heavenly Father. *e are to
be an audiovisual of him. For God is kind to the ungrateful
and wicked. Be merciful, ust as your !ather is merciful. The
call of the disciple to radical love is 0li)e father, li)e child.0 s
Plummer 92=AA!2G=> notes, 0(oral li)eness proves
parentage.0 "esus/ ethical call to love is nothing more than a
call to imitate the Father. nd to love is to have mercy. On
"udgment, 7ighteousness and "esus/ Teaching 9:!3;<?=>
"esus develops his description of mercy by highlighting its
relationsip to forgiveness and judgment. Two ideas dominate
"esus/ remar)s on judgment. First, the measure we use to
judge others is the standard that will be applied to us. "esus
suggests that God responds to us similarly to the way we
treat others. The attitude e-pressed here is not uni1ue to
"esus. %n the "ewish Mishna, `"bot 2!: reads, 0*hen you
judge, incline the balance in his favor.0 %n the same "ewish
wor), #ota 2!; reads, 0*ith what measure a man metes, it
shall be measured to him again.0 Eegatively, "esus says we
should not judge or condemn. Positively, we are to forgive
and give generously. "esus illustrates the last point with the
everyday e-ample of measuring out grain for purchase. The
seller would ta)e a measuring container and pour the grain
in it. fter getting it about three<1uarters full, he would
sha)e it to level out the grain so more could be put in. The
goal was to get as much in the measure as possible. %n the
same way God promises to give grace abundantly to those
who are gracious.
Second, being merciful means being 1uic) to encourage
people toward restoration after they fall. (ercy does not
gloat over sin or ta)e pleasure in pointing it out# it roots for
the sinner to 5nd a way home to spiritual health. Often after
someone falls we are an-ious simply to cut him or her o8 to
)eep the church body from being leavened or to show that
we will not associate with deeds of dar)ness. The church is
to be concerned about moral purity. ,ut we also should be
1uic) to help set up opportunities for repentance and
restoration. *e should be discerning about the presence of
sin but not judgmental in dealing with it. To be judgmental is
to rejoice in pointing out sin and to refuse to reach out to the
sinner to restore him or her to spiritual health 7ather than
leaving the sinner to wallow in sin and the pain of moral
failure, we should encourage the sinner to 5nd the right
path. Perhaps no picture of this commitment is clearer than
the career of 4osea. 4e called sin by its name but always
stood ready to receive the sinner bac), even after gross sin.
%t is no accident that "esus/ words against judgmentalism
come right after the call to be merciful as God is. n
unwillingness to be judgmental is almost a re1uirement for
those who face persecution. *ithout it, lines of battle would
become hardened and the ability to love the enemy would
be destroyed. God is interested not in polemics but in
o8ering the hope of restored relationship to the lost.
This e-hortation needs to be set in the framewor) of "esus/
entire teaching. "esus does not mean that we should close
our eyes to sin and wrongdoing. "esus/ rebu)e of his
opponents in 22!3;<@? shows that being merciful does not
mean suspending moral judgment and responsibility. ,ut we
are not to hold judgment against the person in such a way
that ministry and reconciliation become impossible. 6isciples
are to bear good news, not hold grudges.
The sermon closes with a series of pictures showing us that
"esus/ teaching is to be ta)en seriously. The 5rst image deals
with the importance of choosing the right teacher and
loo)ing carefully to oneself before o8ering criticism 9vv. 3=<
?A>. The second image has to do with producing the right
)ind of fruit 9vv. ?3<?@>, while the third shows the wisdom of
holding fast to "esus/ teaching 9vv. ?:<?=>.
The 1uestion whether a blind man can lead others is
rhetorical, and the point is not developed e-plicitly. Of course
when "esus as)s if the blind are able to lead the blind, he
e-pects a negative answer, as the Gree) particle meti
indicates. 4e e-pects the blind man and his followers to fall
into a pit, as the particle ouchi indicates. %n fact, a disciple
will be like his teacher. "esus does not e-plain the remar) or
develop the picture, but he is warning us to watch which
teacher we follow. %f we follow someone who ta)es in no
light, we will stumble. So we are to consider carefully who
our teacher is. 7eligious opposition is the setting for "esus/
remar)s. "esus/ own o8er of authoritative teaching in the
sermon suggests that his disciples should not follow the
religious leadership but him<<a point he will ma)e more
e-plicitly in verses ?:<?=.
Given the plethora of options available today, we can sense
the importance of "esus/ remar)s! $hoose your instructors
wisely, since you will become li)e them. To build solidly on a
5rm foundation, follow the teaching of those who teach
God/s *ord, not tradition or feeling 9two alternatives often
on o8er today>. "esus/ message commends itself as worthy
of being heard and followed. Those who reDect his message
also are worth listening to. %n a time when reDection and
thought are often given low priority, we ought to give high
priority to reDecting on "esus/ teaching.
%n fact, there is a reason we should be slow to judge and be
careful whom we follow! we all have huge faults that we
must deal with before we are in a position to help others.
judgmental spirit often reDects a self<righteous, unreDective,
insensitive heart.
"esus continues to wor) with the imagery of sight, only here
he uses humor. %magine, "esus says, trying to see with a
plan) of wood stic)ing out of your eye. "ust try seeing with a
two<by<four as bifocalsJ plan) would prevent clear vision.
4ow could you complain about dust in someone else/s eye
when a two<by<four was protruding from your own+ "esus/
point is clear. %t is important to clean up one/s own act before
o8ering advice to others. %n fact, one way to e-amine
ourselves for self<righteousness is to consider how often we
are interested in correcting others rather than correcting our
own attitudes and actions.
"esus does not say we should not e-amine the lives of
others. ,ut we should do so only with a careful eye cast
toward ourselves. Galatians :!2 is similar in tone. "esus
wants disciples to be a moral encouragement to one
another, but there is a proper way to go about it. There is a
crying need for humility, an awareness that all of us are
learning to wal) more closely with God. To help another see
clearly, we need to wash out our own eyes 5rst.
%n the end, disciples are to reDect good character. Our
relationship with God is to produce good fruit. The fruit
reveals the nature of the root, for each tree is recogni$ed by
its own fruit. ,ad trees do not produce good fruit, nor do
good trees produce bad fruit. To judge a tree/s fruit, we don/t
loo) at one particular moment but at a period of production.
The product of the life reDects the heart. The product of our
discipleship reDects our inner character, what "esus calls the
treasure of the heart. The value of our speech and actions is
determined by the 1uality of the soul that produces them. %n
other words, wor)s are a snapshot of the heart.
Often the church avoids tal)ing about 0wor)s0 because
people could begin focusing on e-ternals or putting good
deeds in the place of faith. ,ut the tree image can help us
steer clear of such problems. "esus says that wor)s are a
product of something deeper. ,y lin)ing the heart and the
fruit, "esus ties together motive and action. *or)s are
ultimately a matter of the heart! the product can never be
entirely divorced from the motive, and the presence of fruit
does not mean the absence of faithJ
%n fact, the major issue in the life of a disciple is faithfulness.
So "esus issues a challenge in verse ?:! %&hy do you call
me, `'ord, 'ord,( and do not do what ) say*% The rhetorical
1uestion raises the issue of faithfulness. good heart is
faithful, while a hypocritical one is not. Obedience is not a
matter of rule )eeping but of faithfulness. 4ow can one
recogni&e "esus/ authority and call him .ord and then not
follow through on the commitment to wal) with him+
*ith this 1uestion "esus turns to the issue of his authority. 4e
is not formulating some ethic that we could follow
independent of relationship to him. 4aving a relationship
with him is at the base of faithfulness. This is why the
parallel to this verse in (atthew ;!A2 ma)es )nowing him
the )ey. .u)e does not emphasi&e the end<time judgment as
(atthew does, but for both consistency and faithfulness are
central. "esus says, %f you wish to be wise, you will love as %
have taught, follow me as Teacher and .ord, and wal) in my
way with faithfulness. The implication emerges more clearly
in light of the parable that follows.
"esus concludes his sermon with the parable of the two
houses. %n a subdivision there are two homes. One is built on
roc), the other on sand. .u)e/s imagery is detailed. One
builder dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock.
secure foundation ta)es wor). The hard wor) is worth it,
because in the storm this house stands strong and secure.
Eothing sha)es it. Obeying "esus will mean being able to
stand up in the trials of life. %n contrast is the man who
1uic)ly builds his house on the top of the earth. There is no
depth to his building, only a surface structure. *ithout a
strong foundation, the house cannot hold up when the river
Doods. The use of multiple terms to describe the house/s
collapse accentuates the note of tragedy in the image.
Translated precisely, the end of verse ?= reads, 0%mmediately
it fell, and great was the ruin of that house0 9E7SL>.
Hverything this man had is lost. "esus o8ers no editorial
comment, but lets his sermon end with the echo of the
collapsing house.
The parable gives a sober warning! 4ow tragic not to
respond to "esus/ teaching. 4ow foolish not to build on the
roc) that can weather the storms of life. *hat a tragic waste
when we fail to heed "esus.
So "esus preaches promise<judgment in the beatitudes and
woes. 4e calls on disciples to love in imitation of their Father
in heaven. 4e warns them to follow him as teacher and
watch their step when they critici&e others. 4e calls on
disciples to be faithful and obedient, because that is the path
of wisdom, endurance and strength. The product of the life
reDects the heart/s true nature. Spiritual strength grows out
of obeying the .ord "esus. %t is li)e 5-ing a foundation deep
in the earth. "esus/ sermon reveals the ethics of the disciple,
but behind the ethics stands the authority of the
commissioned agent of God. "esus preaches not as a
philosopher<teacher but as the revealer of God/s wisdom. s
the voice from heaven will say later in this Gospel 9=!3@>, we
should 0listen to him.0
http+,,www.biblegateway.com,resources,co...,)-./
01,'uke,2esus/1eachin
,.
Synthesis
The teaching of "esus is centered on the Sermon of the
(ountMPlain. This became the foundation of all his teachings
during his public ministry. 4e was a complete e-ample of
living what he is teachingMpreaching.
INTEGRA
TION
.
$reative
Output
Small group sharing. *ith the teaching style of "esus $hrist
as model, discuss how they can better serve as teachers in!
a> home, b> school, and c> communityMparish.
nswers will be reported through a role play.
,. $losing
activity
Spontaneous prayer from each group for particular teachers
in the $hurch and School.
SESSION 2. SPIRITUALITY AND TEACHING
Session
Objective
t the end of the session, the participant will be able to!
a. value teaching anchored on the spirituality of "esus#
b. identify 1ualities 9spiritual> of "esus e-hibiting his
empowering teaching style#
Opening
Prayer
Father in heaven, we praise you and we than) you for the
gifts of leaders in our midst. 4elp us to inDuence and
empower others to become leaders you want them to be.
Open our eyes, hearts, and minds to see the potential in
ourselves and the leaders around us and give us the will to
develop our capacity for new and greater responsibilities.
(ay the e-ample of "esus always remind us to wor) for the
formation of $hristian leaders. men.
REFLECTI
ON
. Prior
'nowledg
e
4ow do you see "esus as empowering spiritual teacher+
,. ctivity 6yad on the participantsN religious involvement.
PRESENT
ATION
.
$ontent
Spirituait! a"# Pra$ti$%
0To educate is to guide students on an inner journey toward
more truthful ways of seeing and being in the world,0 writes
Par)er ". Palmer in 1he 3ourage to 1each. 4e de5nes
spirituality as 0the diverse ways to answer the heart/s
longing to be connected with the largeness of life.0 *e have
been inspired by these de5nitions of education and
spirituality to create a 0map0 to some of the resources on
this website about teaching as a spiritual practice. 7eading
about teaching as a vocation and watching movies about
some idealistic teachers, we 5nd ourselves contemplating
how teachers live out these spiritual practices.
O C&""%$ti&"': Teachers encourage us to cultivate the art
of ma)ing connections.
O E"t(u'ia'): (any of them are energi&ed! they do not
hold anything bac).
O H&'pitait!: they welcome alien and di8erent thoughts
and ideas.
O I)a*i"ati&": Teachers spur us on to e-press ourselves
and to be creative.
O Li't%"i"*: They ma)e it clear that all things in the world
want to be heard.
O M%a"i"*: They are meaning<ma)ers par e-cellence.
O Nurturi"*: They help us learn how to ta)e better care of
ourselves and others.
O Op%""%'': Teachers model empathy and a love of
diversity and pluralism.
O +u%'ti"*: They savor 1uestions and the thrill of the
journey.
O Tra"',&r)ati&": They are catalysts of change and
see)ers of wholeness.
O U"it!: They want us to see the commonalities that tie us
to others and to respect di8erences as well.
O -&"#%r: They hope that we will become more curious.
O Y&u: They want us to become all we were meant to be.
http://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/b...blogs/maps.php
%3Fid%3D1644
The Courage to Teach: Exploring the Inner Landscape
of a Teacher's Life .! Par/%r J. Pa)%r
,.
Synthesis
Spirituality is GodNs gift to every individual. This needs to be
ac)nowledged and developed by incorporatingMimbibing all
the virtues such as! openness, enthusiasm, nurturing, etc.
4ence, everything should be centered on $hrist.
INTEGRA
TION
.
$reative
Output
*rite a short essay on the topic! (y Spirituality and
Teaching Style.
,. $losing
activity
$ommunity Singing! PThan) Iou for Teaching (eQ
SESSION 0. FOUNDATIONS OF TEACHING
Session
Objective
t the end of this session, the participants will be able to!
a. identify the biblical foundation of teaching#
b. correct misconceptions on teaching and align them to
the $hristic concepts of teaching# and
c. apply $hristic teaching in their day to day life.
Opening
Prayer
.ord "esus $hrist, watch over those who are teachers of your
people. 'eep them faithful to their vocation and to the
proclamation of your message. Teach them to recogni&e and
interpret the signs of the times. Strengthen them with the
gifts of the Spirit, and help them to serve their subjects,
especially the poor and lowly. Give them a vivid sense of
your presence in the world and a )nowledge of how to show
it to others. men.
REFLECTI
ON
. Prior
'nowledg
e
*hat concrete e-ample in the public ministry of "esus
manifests his style of teaching+
,. ctivity one<page reading of the teaching style of "esus. Ruestion!
4ow does he e-ercise $hristic style of teaching+
PRESENT
ATION
.
$ontent
C(ri'tia"it! 1 Ba'i$ B%i%,' a"# T%a$(i"*
$hristianity is centered on the person and teachings of "esus
of Ea&areth, and upon biblical records dating from c2@BB ,$
to Eew Testament times. Today some 33S of the world
population call themselves /$hristian/. Put another way,
some ?.: billion are non<$hristian, and most of these people
live in sia. ,ut whilst $hristianity is declining in Hurope, sia
has the fastest<growing churches in the world.
$hristian belief is formally set out in $hristian $reeds. less
formal and broader summary of beliefs held by $hristians is
as follows!
G&#
There is an unseen spirit realm < the domain of God
and 4is created beings 9angels are ministering
spirits>.
There is only one God, the God of %srael. The ,ible
reveals God as Spirit and as three )nowable persons
9Father, Son and 4oly Spirit>. Scripture uses pronouns
li)e /4e/ to refer to these persons. ll three persons
were present at the creation.
God is $reator and Sustainer of all things, seen and
unseen. %t can be helpful to refer to the act of
creation as /from the Father, through the Son, by the
4oly Spirit/.
God has many attributes! 4e is holy, sinless,
righteous, sovereign, just, loving, merciful, eternal,
omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent ...
God the Father is )nowable only through 4is Son
"esus $hrist 9"esus /the nointed One/>.
God showed 4is love for us by becoming the man
"esus $hrist.
J%'u' C(ri't
"esus, the second Person in the triune Godhead, was
God in human form. s such 4e is divine and sinless,
and men should give the same honor to $hrist as
they do to the Father.
"esus showed God/s love for man by teaching us
about the )ingdom of God, by su8ering and dying for
each of us on a cross, and by rising again to heaven.
%n essence, God loves us so much that 4e su8ered
and died for each one of us.
"esus lives and is the only way to God the Father. %n
Old Testament terms, "esus is our /high priest/ and in
Eew Testament terms "esus is our Savior from the
judgment of a righteous and holy God.
"esus is co<$reator of heaven and earth and holds all
things in 4is hands. 4e is omnipresent i.e. 4e is
everywhere throughout 4is creation.
"esus is coming again soon. (any prophecies point to
4is return to earth to defeat the de5ant armies of
rebellious nations, to reign as 'ing of the earth from
"erusalem, and to usher in a time of peace on the
earth.
T(% H&! Spirit
The 4oly Spirit is a person 94e can be grieved for
e-ample> and could be seen as the presence and
power of God amongst men.
Followers of "esus are indwelt by the 4oly Spirit,
enabling them to have a close, loving relationship
with the Father and with "esus 4is Son. So they are
never alone < God is always with them.
The 4oly Spirit enables a believer to )now God and
glorify 4im through powerful supernatural
e-periences, as in words of )nowledge, guidance and
physical healing.
Ma"/i"#
Hveryone is sinful in the sight of a holy God and
needs to be renewed to be reconciled to God. ll that
God re1uires of an individual is good deeds and belief
in the living $hrist and acceptance of 4is forgiveness
for past sin. God has done the rest.
Followers of "esus 9believers> are then promised with
forgiveness, reconciliation to God, a resurrected
immortal body and eternal life. Followers are saved
from the judgment of God# they have passed from
death to life.
There are many promises to believers and bene5ts of
the $hristian life.
(an lives only once and after death will be judged
righteously by God according to his response to
received revelation. Followers of "esus 9believers> will
not come under this judgment, but instead will
receive rewards for their service to $hrist at the
resurrection.
The e-istence of 4eaven and 4ell was con5rmed by
"esus. t the judgment, those whose names are not
written in God/s /boo) of life/ will be assigned to 4ell.
,elievers have eternal life and their 5nal destiny is
God.
T(% Bi.%
The ,ible is the word of God, written by men inspired
by the 4oly Spirit. %t/s truth has been preserved by
the 4oly Spirit over the ages.
The ,ible, and particularly "esus/ teachings give God/s
transcendent and timeless moral standards for man.
The ,ible gives many prophecies pertaining to the
end of the age.
T(% C(ur$(
"esus started 4is church through 4is postles. The
role of the church is to proclaim and demonstrate the
coming )ingdom of God.
The true church will be supernaturally removed from
the earth at the end of the age and before God/s
judgments upon the earth. ll true believers, past and
present will ta)e part in this resurrection. They will
receive immortal bodies and be with $hrist forever.
http!MMwww.see)ingtruth.co.u)Mchristianity.htm
3atechism of the 3atholic 3hurch
,.
Synthesis
$hristian $atholic teacher must have a deep )nowledge
about God, "esus $hrist, the 4oly Spirit, man)ind, the bible,
and the $hurch. 4eMshe must be willing to put into practice
this )nowledge and share this to everyone.
%ETHG7T%
OE
.
$reative
Output
4ow can you manifest your being a $atholic educator+
,. $losing
ctivity
$ommunity Singing! POne .ittle $andleQ
Prepared by! (rs. Socorro .. Eeri, (
7SMHnglish Teacher
"OLHE. F. .O7
$hristian Formation $oordinator
pproved by! S. (7% E%T $. ,.,S, 7L(
PresidentM6ean of $ollege