St. Catherine of Siena 4th Grade Teacher - 2007 to 2008 - The RED HEART J.M.+J.T.

The Red Heart J.M.+J.T. 4th Grade Gift to Ms. Bravo

On my first endeavors of a new classroom at St. Catherine of Siena Roman Catholic School in the Diocese of San Bernardino, my students were heartfelt in their remembrance of gratitude to me as their teacher.  What was it that instilled in them a memory?

J.M. + J.T.
Jesus, Mary + Joseph, Teresa invoke the names of the Holy and the Holy will be in your heart, mind and soul as you begin your work in study.

And what shall we give Ms. Bravo at the end of the school year, they ask?
And what would allow us to show Ms. Bravo our gratitude to her as our teacher?

And what was the gift that could buy her?
And what was the gift that could never buy her?

The Red Heart
"Ms. Bravo, we found a stone shaped like a heart and we decided to give you a Heart and not a stone."
"Ms. Bravo, we found a stone shaped like a heart and we decided to love Jesus, Mary and Joseph, and Teresa."
"Ms. Bravo, we found a stone shaped like a heart and we decided to paint it red for the heart of gold is blood red."
"Ms. Bravo, we love you and thank you for honoring Jesus, Mary and Joseph and Teresa and Holy is the Name of which we love, work and study, study, study."

And it is now 2019, and eleven years later; and Ms. Bravo still recalls this gift with the affection and gratitude of real children in love with God because their teacher loves Him.

J.M. + J.T.

Begin every assignment at the top of your paper with the prayer,
"Jesus, Mary and Joseph Teresa, I love you, I study for love of you."

Dear Children,

There are ejaculations that the mind and heart are inclined to perform in the day to day ordinary living of a student.  Saying, "I love you." is not an assignment.  Saying, "I love you." is a natural inclination towards human perspective and mental adherence to a truth of the human person.