I. Charism - La Salle.org

MAKING THE LASALLIAN CHARISM LIVE TODAY 255
commitment of one’s life to procuring the salvation of those who have
been entrusted to us, because, as is rightly said in MTR 202. 3,2:
It is easy to conclude from these examples that your zeal for the children
who are under your guidance would be very imperfect if you
exercised it only by instructing them; it will only become perfect if you
practice yourselves what you are teaching them. Examples make a
much greater impression on the mind and heart than words, especially
for children, since they do not yet have minds sufficiently able to
reflect, and they ordinarily model themselves on the example of their
teachers. They are led more readily to do what they see done for them
than what they hear told to them, above all when the teachers’ words
are not in harmony with their actions.
At the beginning of this same point of MTR 202, John Baptist de
La Salle stresses that the example of the teacher ought to support
his instructions, and that this is one of the principal signs of his
zeal. In the first point of MTR 201, he indicates which are the
virtues which bear witness to the fraternity lived by the teacher:
charity, zeal, patience, the acceptance of contempt and persecution,
even as far as giving one’s life. 209 You have to put into this all the
affection of your heart. Here again it is a question of zeal. It is not
merely a question of spoken witness, but rather of a commitment
of the whole person of the educator towards those confided to him
by God.
Give tangible proof.
The theme of personal commitment, associated with zeal, continues
to be developed in the second point of this Meditation 201:
Act in such a way through your zeal that you give tangible proof that
you love those whom God has entrusted to you… By procuring for
them the help of instruction, and the grace he has given you to
209
MTR 201. 1,2.