Here is a reflection from Br Peter Bray, Visitor of the District.
On 18 February 1712, worn down by conflict and uncertainty, John Baptist de La Salle travelled south seeking relief from the pressures he was carrying.
Yet while in Grenoble, he quietly stepped back into teaching — replacing a Brother who was unable to continue.
At a time when he himself felt exhausted, he chose to serve.
He trusted that God was still at work — even in his weariness.
Years later, the spirit he embodied would be named in The Twelve Virtues of a Good Teacher: patience, humility, prudence, gentleness, zeal, generosity and more. These were not strategies, but dispositions formed through prayer, struggle and daily fidelity.
They matter most when energy is low.
When expectations feel heavy.
When discouragement quietly sets in.
De La Salle placed particular emphasis on gentleness with firmness — reflecting the way God relates to us with mercy and truth. He believed that simple acts of kindness are signs of God’s presence.
As a new school year begins across parts of our District, this example is timely. Lasallian vocation is sustained not by enthusiasm alone, but by faith — lived daily, especially in demanding seasons.
What small act of kindness might you offer today to enrich someone’s life?
