#LasallianLife
Let's Go For a Run
April 5, 2024
My morning drive to school yields a panoramic view from the hill on top of Kimber Road of our stadium and much of our campus. One summer morning, as I emerged over the hill, I could faintly make out in the distance a student running on our track. To my amazement, throughout the hot month of July, I saw this same student running by himself each morning. Eventually, I walked up to the stadium, complimented the student on his dedication, and asked him about his training and upcoming year. He replied, “I want our team to have a great year.” I praised the young student for leading by example through his work on the track each morning. Yet, I also challenged him that there is a higher level of leadership to strive for as well. I encouraged the young man, “Tomorrow, try to bring one other student with you.”
The message of Jesus to the Apostles was not simply meant as a guide for how the Apostles should live their lives, it came with the responsibility to share His message with others. The very word, apostle, is translated to "one who is sent." The Apostles did not return to their normal lives to solely “lead by example.” Instead, they were “sent out” to be “fishers of men.”
This form of apostolic leadership was extremely apparent in a recent writing prompt to our sophomore and junior students from our Vice President of Mission, Mrs. Susan Major:
Peer ministry is built on the premise that young people can indeed influence one another for the good, that they can be light and encouragement in the world in which they find themselves. Peer Ministry, like any ministry, is how God takes what is already true ABOUT us and makes it true IN us.
In paragraph form, describe an experience where you have positively influenced or encouraged someone else toward something good? In that experience, which of your gifts and talents did you use to bring about this influence or encouragement?
Our Lasallian mission calls us to recognize the presence of God within ourselves and then use our light to ignite the fire within the hearts of others. It is a blessing to witness our community members live this calling each day. Recently, I was moved by the transformative power of our Junior High Assistant Principal’s new club, the Baking Club. Sara George, our Junior High Assistant Principal, is immensely talented and has been a wonderful addition to our CBA community this year. Among her talents is a love of baking! What began as a few students hoping to bake in the former Brothers Residence kitchen turned into a Dining Center full of junior high students using the commercial kitchen! Although it may seem like they are only baking delicious desserts - in truth, they are baking community, joy, and kinship among countless young people!
We all have the choice to “bake” or “run” in solitude. We can develop amazing personal gifts and lead others by our example. But, our Lasallian mission calls us to do more - it calls us to be modern apostles, "sent out" to bring someone new with us. Each day, we try to teach our students to recognize the light that God has placed in each of them and then live a life committed to building the kingdom of God through one seemingly small act at a time.
Like the early morning runner on the track, or Ms. George in the kitchen, perhaps each of us can set out to bring someone new with us tomorrow.
PS- By the end of the summer, there were several purple and gold shirts in the distance as both the sun and I emerged over the hill on Kimber Road.
Have a wonderful weekend and GO BROTHERS!
Sincerely,
Mr. Matthew Keough
President, Christian Brothers Academy
