By Sr. Mary Gabriel
Diocesan Education Office and Office of Evangelization and Catechesis
There is a Sister in my Community who often falls asleep during movies. She’s one of those people who pours herself out for her students during the school day and is ready to “rest in the Lord” after holy hour and supper. We don’t watch movies often. Sometimes a local convent will watch one for a Sister’s feast day celebration or another special occasion.
Because this Sister so often falls asleep, we’ve developed a new rating system. If the movie was interesting enough to hold her attention we’ll say, “It was a great movie, Sister gave it two eyes wide open!” I suppose if a movie is predictable or something she’s seen before, there might not be the motivation to stay awake. Why bother if you already know what is going to happen?
Sometimes, if I’m not careful, I begin to treat my coworkers like predictable movies. I assume I know what they are going to say or how they feel about a particular situation. I allow the interior eyes of my heart to “fall asleep” to listening and receiving them, presuming that how they have responded in the past will be the same today. It can take someone from the outside to help me notice a new goodness or beauty in the familiar people around me.
One of the blessings of my work at the Diocese Education Office is visiting schools across the Lincoln Diocese. I’ve spoken with faculties from McCook to Falls City and everywhere in between. Usually, I’m only there for an hour or two. I’ll attend Mass with the group, give a presentation, possibly stay for a cup of coffee, then head back to Lincoln. Even with short visits, I’ve seen over and over again that schools across the diocese are truly run by what Bishop Conley calls, “a faculty of friends.” It is the type of friendship that grows in a fallen and redeemed world by dedicated teachers and administrators working, day in and day out, to bring souls to Christ. This type of supernatural friendship shows itself in three ways.
Shared crosses
One teacher in a small school was working to coordinate the drop-off and pick-up monitors at the end of the day. She realized she had scheduled herself in two places at the same time. Other teachers readily volunteered to take another duty and even out the load. When faculties organize meal trains for new mothers, offer to take a recess duty, or can humbly ask for help, it binds the group together and helps everyone share the mission of the school.
Shared joys
I once spoke at a meeting that included faculties from two schools. They met in separate rooms for a “business meeting” portion of the day. One school was finished 20 or 30 minutes before the other. When asked about it, I responded, “Their meetings sometimes become social events.” Friends like being together. When faculties share jokes, family stories, or good news about students the whole atmosphere of a school changes. I love speaking at meetings that start with “blessings from the week” or “successes from the school day.”
Shared prayer
I visited a school in rural Nebraska for a morning meeting. When I arrived for Mass the congregation consisted of myself, the few teachers on their small staff and one or two other parishioners. I was a little nervous when Father announced a page number for the opening hymn. I thought that there was no way so few of us would be able to carry the song, even if we only sang one verse.
I was quickly proven wrong. That school faculty sang beautifully together. Reflecting on it later, I realized that it takes more than natural talent for a group to sing together. It takes listening. A lot of listening. It also takes being willing, over and over again, to humble myself, in order to blend in with someone else’s voice. A group that sings together and works together humbly listens day after day. This was truly a faculty of friends.
I wonder if any of these groups would consider themselves a “faculty of friends?” Maybe they assume that this is just the normal way of working as a school team, or maybe they, like me, have let their interior eyes close to the ordinary beauty of the people around them.
As we begin a new school year, I’d like to invite all of us to look at our families and coworkers with new eyes. Ask God to point out the friendships that He desires to cultivate with and in you. When May comes around, maybe you’ll also be able to give this year of grace, “two eyes wide open.”
