Remembering Marcelling Champagnat

The way in which the scribe in today's gospel from Mark 12:28-34 approached Jesus shows that he is one who received a good education, an education that not only passed on proper knowledge but also good manners. He sincerely asked Jesus a key question for followers of Judaism, "Which is the first of all commandments?" Jesus quotes scripture in outlining the two-fold commandment that calls for love of God and love of neighbour. The scribe responds by acknowledging Jesus' wisdom and giving his own response to the question, saying that this commandment is far more important that all other devout practices. Jesus tells him that he is not far from the Kingdom of God. This story about the scribe brings to mind the vision that Fr Marcellin Champagnat had when he set about providing education for poor children in France following the devastation of the French Revolution. In doing so he founded the Marist Brothers of the schools. I was taught by the Marist Brothers and am grateful to them for my first-rate education. Later I was also fortunate to witness the work of the Brothers in Fiji. Marcellin Champagnat's vision of providing a first-class education for children from economically deprived backgrounds continued through the work and the teaching of these admirable men. It was like the education that the scribe who approached Jesus must have received. Please pray for the Marist Brothers today on the memorial of St Marcelling Champagnat.