Summertime is here again!  And with it likely comes the relief of time to recharge, refresh, and renew your mind and spirit for the looming school year ahead.

With the cost of everything on the rise, especially gasoline, families may be spending more time at home this summer, a disappointment for many after several summers of COVID restrictions. 
The big question may be, “What are we going to do with the kids?”

by Dr. Lauri Przybysz, D.Min.

Years ago, I came upon this quote: “Every happening, great and small, is a parable whereby God speaks to us, and the art of life is to get the message.” 

I have no doubt that teachers often find themselves in a similar situation as parents when dealing with children – talking and no one is listening.

When you look at your class roster, you see a wide variety of names for your students. The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains, “Everyone’s name is sacred. The name is the icon of the person. It demands respect as a sign of the dignity of the one who bears it” (# 2158). God calls each person by name (Isaiah 43:1). Jesus, the good shepherd, “calls his own sheep by name” (John 10:3). 

One of my favorite activities with my young grandchildren is pushing them on the swings and asking them to just listen. When we hear something new, like the wind in the leaves, cars in the distance, a bird calling, airplanes overhead or people talking a few houses away we try to be the first to tell the other.