May all the graces God gives us, no matter how remarkable they may be, incline us also to humble ourselves. John Baptist De La Salle

“My students consistently do well on tests”; “I had a student get a perfect subject score last year”; “My daughter was accepted into the Medicine course”; “My wife and I are travelling overseas next month”. These are all good things in themselves. The point is that each of these situations is a grace, a gift from God. Think of the Olympic gold medallist (in whatever discipline or sport) – they work, they train many long gruelling hours and richly deserve their accolades. How many competitors are there? How many suffer from illness, injury or some relational upset that prevents them from doing their best? Sport is littered with such stories. That is why the humble champion, like Roger Federer, rings true for many people.

Our message for young people? Discover your gifts. Be your best, but don’t get carried away on ego-fuelled flights of fancy. The expression ‘pride comes before a fall’ doesn’t strike us as true for no reason!

Have a great week!

Patrick