St. John Baptist De La Salle
Risk Taker. Innovator. Servant-Leader. Mentor.
After watching a rare film telling the inspiring story of St. John Baptist De La Salle entitled “Who Are My Own”, I came to know a little more about St. John Baptist De La Salle. I came to know that he was a risk taker, innovator, servant-leader, and a mentor. In addition, I have made several realizations after watching this film.
St. John Baptist De La Salle as a RISK TAKER
St. De La Salle has exhibited the trait of being a risk taker when he had brought teachers into his own home to live with him, gave up his canonship, and all his wealth. He did not mind the disturbed reactions from his relatives and upper society. Instead, St. De La Salle have thought that this was something that God wanted him to do, something confirmed for him in deep prayer and long reflection.
St. De La Salle has given up all his fortune for the poor. He went to the poor part of the city and rented a house in which he was joined by the other teachers and latter called the house as the — “cradle of the Institution”. He joined the teachers in real poverty. Now, they would all be fully dependent on God alone.
“Real wealth is better than what you think and feel. Not being possessed by possessions. To give, to receive, to reason, children know these. There are no class distinctions among them. If I can open their minds, and let the sun enter in. If enough of us can do this, if we can reach pass the boundaries mark — rich and poor, if we can open their minds with this light, the world would become a brighter place, closer to peace, closer to human fraternity”. — St. John Baptist De La Salle
St. John Baptist De La Salle as an INNOVATOR
St. De La Salle has been an innovator as he together with other teachers have formed the - Brothers of the Christian Schools. The Brothers have vowed themselves into a devotion of teaching boys and young men. In addition, St. De La Salle has administered a systematic strategy for teaching, created a teacher’s manual, wrote student textbooks, and opened a school to train teachers.
St. De La Salle has been an innovator as he saw that education should not only for those who can afford private tutors but also be made available for the poor. He believed that private tutor approach would never be able to reach the masses and thus, new technique for instruction was needed. Thus, he started teaching into a small groups. He made the first “classrooms”.
St. John Baptist de La Salle believed that the mission of a teacher is two-pronged. First, is to mold the mind of the student and to make him well educated. Second is to touch the student’s heart and open him up to God.
“The more loving you are to the young, the greater will be the effects of God’s grace.” — St. John Baptist De La Salle
St. John Baptist De La Salle as a SERVANT-LEADER
St. De La Salle was a servant-leader because he has a great concern for the poor. He also treated all people as his if they were his own brothers and sisters especially his “Brothers”. He embraced all classes and conditions of society. With his initiation of free education, he had understood the need of the society at that time.
“I will never close the door of this house, even if it was I will still open it”. — St. John Baptist De La Salle
St. John Baptist De La Salle as a Mentor
He led the Brothers in utmost devotion of teaching the poor and leave a vow of poverty. His students have loved him as if he was their father. His legacy has remained until today — to live by the spirit of faith.
“The spirit of this Institute is first, a spirit of faith, which should induce those who compose it not to look upon anything but with the eyes of faith, not to do anything but in view of God, and to attribute all to God.” (Rule 1718).
“To touch the hearts of your students and to inspire them with the Christian spirit is the greatest miracle you could perform, and the one that God asks of you, since this is the purpose of your work.” — St. John Baptist De La Salle
My Realizations:
- We live a life in which we work so hard to have a better life. We tend to forget to share what we have to others. We tend to make other people suffer in exchange of our betterment. Admittedly, I cannot do what St. De La Salle have done — give up all his fortune. But, it has been a wake up call for me to share what I have to others. There are so many ways to help other people. It is just that I need to make myself open to be aware of what I can offer to others.
- Living in a vow of poverty, St. De La Salle has live a life in which he had no idea of what he will have for tomorrow. All my life I am worrying about my future, I tend forgot to live at the present. I tend to plan ahead and when I failed to achieve goal of my plan, I always put all the blame to myself. St. De La Salle has helped me to realized that if you put strong faith in Him and He will provide.
“The miracles of God’s Providence take place every day.”
— St. John Baptist De La Salle
