The First Leap Takes a Lot of Courage: Celebrating January's Virtue of the Month

Taking the first leap to do what's right takes a lot of guts - even when God is by your side. But doing it to make just changes in your community makes that courage all the worthwhile.

My daughter's courageous jump over running water was an image I took on our trip to the Bruce Peninsula. I thought the image was fitting for this blog entry.

In January, we focus on the virtue of Courage, a timely reminder amidst the global challenges we face. From conflicts in Ukraine and Afghanistan to environmental crises and social unrest, it's evident that courageous action is needed.  As educators, it’s our duty to instill in students the courage to be proactive citizens and agents of positive change.

The Religious Communal Bulletin Board is a board where every class has the opportunity to design it. This month my grade 8 class and another grade 8 class designed it referencing January's Virtue of the Month.

To engage students in understanding courage, my grade 8 class participated in a project where they designed a Communal Bulletin Board. Each student took a feather from the wings of a figure and wrote what courage meant to them. This project served as a thought-provoking exercise to explore overcoming challenges in their lives.

In addition to students' activity at school, I myself began to think of ways we can have courage in ourselves to overcome the many challenges and obstacles in our lives and the rest of society.

At my virtual prayer table, I emphasize the importance of courage in building supportive communities. Using the metaphor of a family tree, we recognize our interconnectedness and responsibility to care for one another and our planet. To exemplify the virtue of Courage, I included an image of St. Charles (Carlo) Borromeo, known as 'the loving reformer.' St. Carlo Borromeo's actions in reforming the Church demonstrate courageous leadership and a commitment to positive change. Just as St. Charles Borromeo exemplified courageous leadership in reforming the Church, we too are called to be courageous in advocating for justice and unity.

In a world often divided by differences, it takes courage to nurture relationships and cooperate for the common good. As stewards of God's creation, we must prioritize caring for one another and the Earth. Let us draw inspiration from St. Charles Borromeo and embrace courage as we strive to create a better world, united in faith and compassion.

References:

Who was St. Charles Borromeo? Saint Charles Borromeo.

https://stcharleslivermore.org/who-was-st-charles-borromeo

Evo 101: The Family Tree. (2023). Understanding Evolution.

https://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolution-101/the-history-of-life-looking-at-the-patterns/the-family-tree/