(Eleventh reflection of a series in the Year of Paul)

"One of the characteristics and one of the purposes of the Spirit of Zeal you have for the well-being and salvation of those given to your care is to reprove and correct them when they act in a faulty manner." With this sentence De La Salle begins his Eleventh Meditation for the time of Retreat. Zeal, coming from faith, must impel the Brother-Teacher to use the appropriate reproof and correction whenever a child acts in a manner that is at fault. Not only does De La Salle point this out, but he also insists upon it!

To enlarge his view on this matter, he comments on the behaviour of Jesus. When Jesus comes across those carrying on business in the sacred place—especially when that business was tarnished with greed on the part of the Temple Clergy—Jesus immediately drove them out with a whip, and reproved them for carrying on this kind of trade; which for point of correction he informed them that His Father's House is a Place of Prayer.(Luke 19.45; John 2.15) His disciples saw this as a fulfillment of the verse of the Psalm"Zeal for thy house has consumed me". (John 2.17' ;Psalm 69.9) Going along in this vein, De La Salle cites Jesus' reproof of the hypocrisy of some of the Leaders of the Judaic Faith who, under the guise of doing good , were actually demeaning others while seeking their own good. Anyone acting in this manner Jesus reproved. (Matthew 6.2-5; 23.1-12)

Paul rebukes the Corinthians very explicitly." It is reported to me that there is sexual immorality among you of a kind that not even is found among pagans; for a man is living with his father's wife". Paul's reproof has two objects: the incestuous man, and the community. He upbraids the community for not doing anything about the situation. It is the responsibility of the Christian community to communally confront a wrong-doer—especially when everyone knows what is going on. (I Cor 5.1-2) As an aside, it may seem as though Paul is always reproving and correcting the Corinthians. It seems that way here, because these are the passages De La Salle cites. Actually, Paul did not hesitate to reprove and correct his other Christian communities. His zeal for them was great, because, as he says he is ‘jealous for them'. Having taught them in the faith he took care to see that is was always the inspiration to that particular ‘House Church'.

Having given these two examples of reproof and correction, De La Salle explains the importance of these caring actions as he sees the good of them for salvation. "You too must reprove and correct your students when they commit some fault, the more so because it is typical of children that they often make mistakes without thinking.( Here again, De La Salle calls upon his experience of the development of a child) The reproofs and corrections give them TIME TO REFLECT on what they have done, and cause them to WATCH OVER THEMSELVES in order NOT TO BE MAKING THE SAME MISTAKES" A new element enters into our Founder's position in this regard. A reproof is not simply a punishment, but it is also the occasion for the child to think and accept the responsibility for the behaviour, to resolve to act with more care, and to take the means not to repeat the mistakes. This reproof and correction become a teaching moment in which to refine a person's character and behaviour. If we refer to the "Conduct of the Christian School" De La Salle counsels this care in reproving and correcting, be done in such a manner that the child has time to reflect upon and accept the appropriate reproof which is already known from the regulations guiding the school. Asking the child to reflect, to be watchful, and to avoid repeating mistakes may seem a lot to ask. Yet, De La Salle considers reproof and correction one of the corner-stones of this pedagogy.

This point now leads to John's insistence upon ‘vigilance' as part of the teaching methods of operating a school, and being given the care of children. Children, because their minds are in the process of developing, are inclined to take pleasure in foolish actions; but at the same time they are not inclined to much serious reflection. They are inclined to please their emotions and senses. "How true!" Those among us who have been among children will agree. De La Salle looks upon these situations to assist in human development. He cites sayings from the Book Proverbs:

Give a lad a training suitable to his character
and, even when he is old, he will not go back on it.
Folly is anchored in the heart of a youth,
the whip of instruction will rid him of it.

(Proverbs 22. 6 and 15)

(Author's note: is it not wonderful that these pithy statements of wisdom still perdure over so many years?)

John considers that children are ‘caught' in folly; correction, therefore, is the only way to cure them. One can begin to discern the depths of De La Salle's own study, prayer and experience. He does go on to say that the only way to bring wisdom to a child's mind is by correction. If not we will abandon the child who then will risk ruining its entire life. Here comes another principle of De La Salle's methods of education. Faults can turn into habits; habits become hard to correct. Good and bad habits contracted in childhood, and maintained in time become part of the nature of the person. Not only could a child be ‘caught' in folly, but John raises the need to rescue and save these young people from a life of wandering as a miserable captive to a life dominated by desires of doing wrong. Paul writes to his disciple Timothy to instruct him how to be a worthy and effective leader of the Christian community. You "must be kind to everyone, a good teacher, and patient. (You) must be gentle when (you) correct people who oppose you, in the hope that God may give them a change of mind so that they recognize the truth and come to their senses, escaping the trap of the devil who made them his captives and subjected them to his will. ( 2 Timothy 2.24-26) This idea of being captive of the devil is a long held reflection going back several centuries. Paul may be seen as one who uses this point very much, but I think that it goes back to the wisdom tradition of the former scriptures. This is the point that a person who leads a good life is more capable of receiving the gift of wisdom. The Christian point of view is that Jesus is the Wisdom of God. A life with Jesus brings a person to human fulfillment. In this stage of our life this is wisdom; in the next stage of our life this is plunging into the depth of Ultimate Wisdom—the Divine—which has no ending.

The meditation concludes with an appeal to the Brother-Teacher to take responsibility for the children in his/her care. You are also responsible to the Parents, to all who help them, and finally you are put into this responsibility by God. De La Salle is consistently forthright in this conviction, a wisdom which had grown with him over his 67 years. Through study, prayer, and fidelity, he, in association with the early Brothers, has passed this conviction to us, as the Brothers of the Christian Schools have accepted responsibility for the children who are sent to their schools through many difficulties, sufferings and set-backs for over 350 years. May we in our time, together and by association continue to assume responsibility for children, all children in need, especially those who are on the fringes of today's society.

Brother James Loxham