Christological themes in a Catholic high school classroom

If one was to enter my high school classroom, one would see the object which I hope best expresses the hope of every Catholic secondary teacher.

It is the painting of the prodigal son by Rembrandt, hanging on the classroom wall. The picture communicates the human condition of emptiness and suffering.

It reminds me of the despair I often see on the face of a student reeling from the pain of a troubled household or from deep uncertainty about what the future holds after graduation.

In the parable recorded by the writer of Luke's gospel, the younger son said to his father, "Give me my share of the property now."

The man divided his property between his two sons. Both were given access to their father's wealth. The parable then goes on to say that after a few days, the younger son sold his part of the property and left home with the money. He went to a country far away, where he wasted his money in reckless living.

Perhaps he was involved in the activities he would not have been able to get away with in his own community, the same activities that put fear into the hearts and minds of the parents and teachers of today's high school students.

When the son had spent all the inherited wealth given to him by his father, a severe famine spread over the country and he was left without anything. So he went to work for one of the citizens of the country, who sent him out to his farm to take care of the pigs.

Undoubtedly, this was a humbling experience for the son, an experience which the other son never truly knew, but perhaps an experience which the father may have endured one time in his own life. After all, Jesus was being prophetic. Prophecy sheds light on human experience.

Growing tired of this existence and having received a clearer perspective on his life, which often accompanies an act of contrition, the boy attempts to return to his father. He had planned to say to his father: "I have sinned against God and against you, I am no longer fit to be called your son; treat me as one of you hired workers."

He was still a long way from home when his father saw him. Filled with pity, he ran towards his son, throwing his arms around him.

The father called to his servants: "Hurry, bring the best robe and put it on him, put a ring on his finger and shoes on his feet. Then go and get the prize calf and kill it and let us celebrate with a feast! For this son of mine was dead, but now is alive; he was lost, but now he has been found."

The same enthusiasm was not felt by the older son, who was not able to see beyond himself, and thus remained in a psychological state of darkness.

Rembrandt was able to capture this pinnacle moment of jubilation and faith through the use of shades of light and darkness, brilliance and shadow.

One of the artist's most important choices was the choice of the people in his work, and for us the choice of the persons with whom we develop close intimate relationships.

We are called, as Catholic educators, to see even our most troublesome, problematic student as needing to experience the grace of God in our classroom. It is my hope that the Rembrandt painting in my classroom and the words and actions I allow to be lived out in this room will promote such experiences.

We have a choice, just as the two brothers in the parable of the prodigal son have a choice. We can follow the darkness and deny our own humanity, or we can see the light of truth and justice as set forth by the teachings of Jesus. Those in authority can shed light on the world or they can relegate themselves to the background, as revealed by the other elders in the Rembrandt painting. Jesus demanded conversion not only of the marginalized and outcast, but also those who are in positions of privilege, like teachers.

We, as Catholic educators, have been privileged with the Christ centered milieu in which we work. When 90 students come through my classroom door for the first semester course in religion this September they can not only expect to see the picture of Rembrandt's "Prodigal Son" on the wall, but also be greeted with a spiritual message of acceptance. It is my hope that this classroom will be filled with the radiant light of wisdom, understanding and truth.

Kevin Moore teaches religious studies at Brother Andre High School, Markham, Ont.

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