Thirteenth Ordinary

Matthew 10: 39

Jesus said, “If you don’t go all the way with me, through thick and thin, you don’t deserve me. If your first concern is to look after yourself, you’ll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you’ll find both yourself and me.” (Matthew 10: 39)

At first glance, these words of Jesus seem completely upside down. In a world that encourages us to build our profile, protect our time, and focus on our own success, Jesus offers a different path. He suggests that real life is found not in holding on, but in giving away.

For teachers and support staff in Catholic schools, this message speaks directly into the reality of everyday work. Every lesson prepared, every student encouraged, every difficult conversation navigated, and every extra act of care offered often goes unnoticed. Yet these moments are where the Gospel comes alive.

In a time when schools are facing growing challenges around student wellbeing, mental health, digital distraction, and social uncertainty, it can be easy to feel stretched thin. The demands are real. So is the temptation to ask whether our efforts are making a difference.

Matthew reminds us this week that Christian education has never been about personal recognition. It is about service. When we invest ourselves in the growth, dignity, and flourishing of young people, we participate in something much bigger than ourselves. We help shape lives, nurture hope, and reveal God’s presence in the world.

Paradoxically, it is often in these acts of self-giving that we discover our deepest sense of purpose. The teacher who stays back to support a struggling student, the learning support officer who patiently builds confidence, the administration staff member who welcomes families with kindness, each finds life not by seeking it, but by sharing it.

As we continue through this school year, perhaps Jesus invites us to see our work with fresh eyes. The small acts matter. The unseen moments matter. In giving ourselves generously to the mission of Catholic education, we may discover that the life we are searching for has been quietly growing within us all along.