Although now retired, I continue my personal study of the Scriptures, and recently was reading this passage from St. Luke’s Gospel (9:18-22):
Now it happened that as Jesus was praying alone the disciples were with him; and he asked them, "Who do the people say that I am?" And they answered, "John the Baptist; but others say, Elijah; and others, that one of the old prophets has risen." And he said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" And Peter answered, "The Christ of God." But he charged and commanded them to tell this to no one, saying, "The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised."
It seems to me that in many ways this describes the work of Catholic educators. Jesus began by asking what men were saying about him; and then, suddenly, He aims the question at the Twelve, "Who do you say that I am?"
Certainly, Catholic educators do teach their students what “others have said” – whether it be about Jesus, or His moral teaching, or various philosophies and concepts, or the principles of science and mathematics, or the mystery and beauty of music – all of which open up truth to them. It is important for students to know what others who have come before them have said and taught.
But when it comes to the ultimate Truth – the fullness of Truth which we know in Christ Jesus – it is never enough to know only what other people have said. An educated person might be able to pass an examination on what has been said and thought about Truth. He might have read every book about theology and philosophy, about science and the arts, and he might have read all the great literature ever written in every language upon earth and yet still not be engaged with the Incarnate Word as the final and highest and most personal expression of the fullness of Truth.
The greater part of the task of Catholic educators must always be to have students answer the question our Lord asked the apostles, “Who do you say that I am?”
In the end, any educational institution which cannot engage its students in that question cannot be educating the whole person. It is the fatal weakness of secular schools. Truth cannot be something which is only talked about. Ultimately, Christ comes to each person, not asking "can you tell me what others have said and written about me?" but rather, "who do you say that I am?" When he was writing to St. Timothy, St. Paul did not say, "I know what I have believed"; but he said, "I know whom I have believed" (2 Tim. 1:12).
This is task and privilege of Catholic educators – that of presenting the truth, and then making it personal...because Truth is a Person.