Thirtieth Ordinary

Luke 18: 14

Jesus commented, “This tax man, not the other, went home made right with God. If you walk around with your nose in the air, you’re going to end up flat on your face, but if you’re content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself.”

There’s a quiet power in this line from the Gospel of Luke that speaks directly into the heart of teaching. It’s easy to imagine humility as something soft or passive, but in truth, it’s one of the boldest stances we can take in education. For Catholic educators, humility is not about shrinking ourselves. It’s about making space for God to work through us, through our students, and through the daily rhythm of school life.

In classrooms today, where achievement and performance often take centre stage, humility invites a different rhythm. It asks us to teach not for our own recognition but for the flourishing of others. It challenges us to see every student not as a reflection of our success but as a reflection of God’s image. When a student struggles, humility reminds us to be patient. When a student excels, humility reminds us to celebrate without comparison.

To teach with humility is to live out the Gospel in real time. It means listening before speaking. It means being open to learning from our students, colleagues, and the Spirit that moves through our communities. It means acknowledging that we don’t have all the answers, and that’s okay, because teaching has never been about control; it’s always been about relationship.

In a world that often rewards self-promotion, humility calls us to something deeper. It asks us to model grace, gratitude, and authenticity. It means creating classrooms where students know that their worth isn’t measured by grades but grounded in God’s love.

So here’s the challenge: bring humility to the front of your teaching this week. Start a lesson by inviting your students to share what they think before you speak. Admit when you don’t know something. Thank your students for the ways they teach you. Let your classroom be a place where humility becomes a living lesson, one that shows students what it really means to walk in faith, to lead with love, and to learn with open hearts.

Because when we teach with humility, we don’t just shape minds. We help shape souls. And in that sacred work, God is glorified.