The Eucharist and Catholic Education, by Randall Smith

A Biblical verse that can kind of haunt you, if you’re a teacher, says, “for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.” (Matthew 7:29)  I have this image of someone proclaiming with great fervor: “for he taught them as one having authority, and not like that tedious, boring Prof. Smith.”  I feel bad for the scribes. I mean, how do you compete with Jesus?  You’re a scribe (or professor); you work hard; you study for hours on end; and then people think less of you because you were outshined by God incarnate?  Am I supposed to feel bad if Michael Jordan beats me in basketball too?

To be fair, Christ says later of the scribes: “do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do.”  Okay, now that’s good advice.  And then there’s His warning: “you are not to be called teacher.” (Matthew 23:8)  Okay, I’m called professor.  But that’s probably worse.  …