Naked Disciples

Mastering the art of being a good teacher and preacher

06/28/2018

Matthew 7:21-29 Jesus said to his disciples: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?’ Then I will declare to them solemnly, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’ “Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined.” When Jesus finished these words, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.

There is a trick to being a good teacher, and it is especially incumbent on any teacher who is also a preacher, namely, you must put into action what you put into words. In a word, a good teacher must practice what you preach. This hit home for me in a memorable way when I was ordained a deacon, the last step before priesthood. The bishop held one end of the Book of the Gospels, while the deacon with trembling hands hold the other end, and the bishop says sternly: “Believe what you read. Teach what you believe. Practice what you teach.” The special task and trick for a deacon, not allowed to the lay person, is to read the gospel at Mass and to preach the word of God. But preaching does not end in the pulpit: the deacon must put into practice what he preaches and teaches.

I recently started reading a book by Etienne Gilson, a preeminent French philosopher, called The Christian Philosophy of St. Thomas Aquinas. He explains in the Introduction that Aquinas did not take teaching lightly. St. Thomas taught at the University of Paris, but he was also a Dominican who embraced austere poverty. Gilson wrote: “St. Thomas never grew weary of defending against the attacks of seculars the legitimacy of the ideal to which he had consecrated his life, monastic poverty and the work of teaching.” A little later, Gilson summed up the saint’s spirit by quoting St. Jerome, who taught: “Christum nudum, nudus sequere,” which means, “naked disciples following a naked Christ.” In other words, Thomas mastered the trick of a good teacher, practicing what you preach, by being poor as he preached about Christ’s poverty. Practice what you teach.

We see this trick of teaching in the greatest Teacher of all, namely, Jesus our Lord. He practices what he teaches because he is the Word made flesh. In the gospel he demands his followers also master this trick of teaching before they open their mouths, saying: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.” Clearly, Jesus will not admit any armchair apostles into the ranks of his army. A Christian, therefore, cannot just talk a good game, but he or she must assiduously act on their words. Jesus would approve the example Sts. Jerome and Aquinas: Christum nudum, nudus sequere, naked disciples following a naked Christ.

Sooner or later we must all don the mantle of a teacher and master the trick of being a good teacher. We must practice what we teach, even if we are not ordained clergy. Every parent knows instinctively that their children have x-ray vision and see through their hypocrisy if they say, “Do what I say and not what I do.” Children rightly pay far greater attention to their parents’ behavior than to their words. Of course, good words are critical too, but they are hopelessly crippled if not buttressed by good behavior. Sometimes we give politicians a pass when their personal lives do not reflect the high ideals of our culture and our country. To be sure, no one is perfect. But how much more inspiring when someone’s words are in lock step with their actions. Yesterday, I was mowing the grounds at Trinity Junior High, and seven people volunteered to help me. Would they have gone and mowed the grounds if I had stayed inside where it was cool, and sent them a text message to go and take care of it? Jesus will not accept armchair apostles in his army.

By the way, I’m sorry to use myself as an example; I don’t mean to suggest I am so holy or good. I am not. But what other example can I use but my own when I dare to teach and preach the gospel? That’s the only example that matters. Christum nudum, nudus sequere. Practice what you teach.

Praised be Jesus Christ!