My Favorite Teacher

Trying to make Jesus our favorite Teacher

02/23/2022

Rv 2:8-11 "To the angel of the Church in Smyrna, write this: "'The first and the last, who once died but came to life, says this: "I know your tribulation and poverty, but you are rich. I know the slander of those who claim to be Jews and are not, but rather are members of the assembly of Satan. Do not be afraid of anything that you are going to suffer. Indeed, the Devil will throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will face an ordeal for ten days. Remain faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. "'"Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The victor shall not be harmed by the second death."'"

Who is your favorite teacher here at Trinity? If we were to conduct a straw poll, a quick survey, I wonder if Mr. Ordoñez or Mr. Bruce, Mrs. Hurst or Mr. Jones would top the popularity polls among your favorite teachers. I still remember my favorite teacher from middle school. Her name was Nancy Govang. She had this beautiful auburn hair, and she was an actress in the evening at Murray’s Dinner Playhouse in Little Rock. And I have to confess, I had a huge crush on her because she was so beautiful.

After we came in from recess, usually hot, sweaty and stinky, she said we could put our heads on our desk and even take a nap if we wanted. As we cooled down from recess, she read to us two books that I will never forget. One was called “Animal Farm” by George Orwell. It was the story about these animals on a farm – pigs and horses and donkeys – that take over and kick out all the humans. The animals’ motto was: “Four legs good, two legs bad”, meaning that animals are good while humans are bad.

The other book she read to us was called “Watership Down” by Richard Adams. It was the adventure of a warren of rabbits that flees the impending destruction of their home because of a big construction project. They are led by a huge rabbit named “Big Wig” and the dreams of a little rabbit named “Fiver.” And Ms. Govang was such a talented actress and storyteller she gave different voices to the animals and really made the stories come to life. Do you think any of us slept while she read? No way. I have had a lot of great teachers in school and seminary, but my favorite teacher will always be Nancy Govang, with the beautiful auburn hair.

Today is the feast day of St. Polycarp. If you were to ask the early Christians, like St. Irenaeus, who their favorite teacher was, most of them would vote for St. Polycarp. Why? Well, it was not because he had beautiful auburn hair. Let me give you three reasons. First, he was bishop of Smyrna, and that is why our first reading was taken from the book of Revelation, which mentioned the city of Smyrna, and the letter written to its leader, its bishop. In other words, Polycarp was the bishop of Smyrna, and he was a great teacher. Bishops are called to be great teachers.

A second reason is because Polycarp’s own teacher was St. John the Evangelist, one of the twelve apostles, who were themselves taught by Jesus, Truth himself. Can you imagine having as your teacher the Apostle who leaned his head on the chest of Jesus at the Last Supper? What divine and heavenly secrets John must have heard beating in that Sacred Heart that night and subsequently shared with his students, like Polycarp! And the third reason St. Polycarp was a great teacher was he taught by his works as well as his words, indeed, he died as a martyr. They tried to burn him at the stake, but when that didn’t work, they stabbed him with a sword. The best teachers teach with their lips as well as their life (and death).

Boys and girls, we all have our favorite teachers, maybe Ms. Schmitz (for you), or Ms. Govang (for me), or St. Polycarp (for Irenaeus). But in the end, there is only One who is the best Teacher, for he is not only the one who teaches the truth, he is Truth itself, Jesus Christ. Why is that important? Well, because it means that truth cannot ultimately contradict itself. Jesus cannot contradict himself; he is not schizophrenic. Sometimes people say that science and religion are incompatible and even enemies. Many people today (even some respected teachers) argue that religion and science are at war, and it is a fight to the death. But that is not true, because Truth is one, and that Truth is Jesus.

As you go to high school, college and maybe even get a doctorate (like Dr. Hollenbeck), you will have some teachers who are brilliant and others who are boring. But every teacher always learns from someone else, like I learned from Ms. Govang, and you learn from Ms. Abarca, and Coach Bishop. But there is only one Teacher who never learned from anyone else but has always been wisdom itself, namely, Jesus. He alone is Truth incarnate.

And in the end, anything that is true, both science and religion, social studies or economics, astronomy and technology, religion and reading comes from him. All the subjects we study are like rivers that originate in mountains that receive rainfall from heaven. And that heavenly rainfall - that originally source of all Truth - is our Lord himself. If that original, divine Source of wisdom and knowledge were ever to dry up, all schools would close, even Trinity. There would be nothing to learn and no one to learn it from. And there would be no more favorite teachers, not even the one with beautiful auburn hair.

Praised be Jesus Christ!