By Bro Nicholas Seet, FSC

Nicolas Leclerq was born in 1745 in the northern coast of France in Boulogne-sur-Mer Boulogne, a major port. His family was well-off and dealt in food and wines. He studied in the same school as his father which was managed by the La Salle Brothers. As a young boy, he was fascinated by the lives of “God’s heroes” which he preferred to adventure stories. He finished school at sixteen and began his work apprenticeship hoping to be in the family business. He had written “I want to be like my teachers, the Brothers, following them in their piety, their austerity and their service to young people.”

So, he joined the Brothers at the age of 21 and took the name Brother Solomon. He started teaching at the age of 23. He sometimes had classes of up to 130 pupils, to whom he taught “reading, writing and calculus” Some of his classes included difficult teenagers, sent to the school for re-education. By the age of 27, he made final vows and later became Director of Novices. At the age of 32, he was in charge of a big educational complex, with around 1,000 students, including 150 “difficult” boys committed by the courts. By then his main work was that of administration.

Later, he was sent to Melun to teach mathematics in the teacher training centre for the Brothers. His good sense, simplicity, discretion and great ability were evident to his students, who appreciated his intelligence and skill in synthesising things and admired his perfect handwriting. In 1787, he was appointed Secretary to the Superior General, Bro Agathon.

With the French Revolution, like many of the Brothers, he refused to take the oath of allegiance to the new state. Religious congregations were abolished, and the Brothers’ schools were closed. They were driven from their houses and reduced to total poverty. In his last letter, dated 15 August 1792, Brother Solomon wrote “We bear with joy and gratitude the crosses and afflictions that come our way. As for me, I do not seem to be worthy to suffer for Him, since up to now nothing bad has happened to me, while there are so many confessors of the faith who are in difficulty.” A few hours later, he was arrested and imprisoned in the Carmelite Convent in Paris. Having been interrogated during the night, he spent his final days without any food.

On 2 September, he together with others refused to take the oath to the Civil Constitution. After that, they were taken out into the garden and were met by their killers who killed them with swords and guns. He was beatified in October 1926 by Pope Pius XI and by Pope Francis on 16 October 2016.

For more, check out the Catholic News’ coverage of the celebration of Brother Solomon’s canonization in Singapore here.

Saint John Paul II, born Karol Wojtyła on 18 May 1920, was the longest serving pope of the 20th century. Born in Wadowice, a small city not far from Krakow, the widely-travelled pope is well known for his teachings on Divine Mercy since his election to the papacy in 1978. Throughout his pontificate, the pope constantly centred himself on the mercies of God.

St John Paul II focused much of his efforts on bringing Christ into culture, through the Divine Mercy of God. Divine Mercy Sunday, which falls on the second Sunday of Easter, reminds us that mercy is the ultimate answer to the problems of the world today. Incidentally, John Paul II died on the vigil of the feast five years after he officially granted the feast to the Universal Church, and was both beatified (2011) and canonised (2014) on Divine Mercy Sundays.

Drawing reflections from Dives in Misericordia (DM), St John Paul II’s 1980 encyclical on the mercy of God, we see several theological foundations essential to having a true understanding and expression of God’s mercy.

Firstly, John Paul points to the revelation of mercy in the paschal mystery — the passion, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus. For “absolute justice” to take place, he says, “Christ undergoes the passion and cross because of the sins of humanity. This constitutes even a ‘superabundance’ of justice, for the sins of man are ‘compensated for’ by the sacrifice of the Man-God” (DM, 7). True mercy is revealed because “He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy” (Tit 3:5).

A third important point on the mercy of God is found in the parable of the prodigal son. In analysing this parable, John Paul highlighted that in the act of forgiveness, “he who forgives and he who is forgiven encounter one another at an essential point, namely the dignity or essential value of the person” (DM, 14). The son, who squandered his possessions, lost all dignity. He had nothing to eat. He craved what his father’s servants had, and resolved to return to the father, who in turn restores his son’s dignity:

“Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry; for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found” (Lk 15:22-24).

Mercy restores dignity and values all man for who they are, in the image of God, not merely what they deserve. To this end, it is worthwhile quoting the pope at length:

“Mercy in itself, as a perfection of the infinite God, is also infinite. Also infinite therefore and inexhaustible is the Father’s readiness to receive the prodigal children who return to His home. Infinite are the readiness and power of forgiveness which flow continually from the marvelous value of the sacrifice of the Son. No human sin can prevail over this power or even limit it. On the part of man only a lack of good will can limit it, a lack of readiness to be converted and to repent, in other words persistence in obstinacy, opposing grace and truth, especially in the face of the witness of the cross and resurrection of Christ.”

St John Paul II, in his ministry, exemplified mercy. He embraced all who were suffering through his many papal visits, and stood against the innocent killing of mankind, most evident in abortion and euthanasia. Most astonishingly, after being shot at several times, he visited his would-be assassinator in prison, forgave him and begged the courts to pardon the man from life imprisonment.

Where does this lead us? Do we bear the crosses for the sake of others? “Merciful love is supremely indispensable between those who are closest to one another: between husbands and wives, between parents and children, between friends,” wrote the pope. “And it is indispensable in education and in pastoral work” (DM, 14). In the cross of Christ, we are given an example God’s mercy, and are challenged to extend His Divine Mercy to others.

What about us? What need do we have, as a child of God, of God’s mercy? What areas in our lives and in our profession do we struggle to find mercy and forgiveness from God? It is true that as educators, we are called to mirror God’s mercy to the students that we interact with (some of whom do not ‘deserve’ mercy!). But how can we practice mercy without first receiving it, since our Lord Himself reminded us that “he who is forgiven little, loves little” (Lk 7:47)? Let us be brave and ask the Lord for his Divine Mercy, since He never tires of offering it to us.

What does it mean to be a man? It is a question running through every boy’s mind in the course of their maturity, and one that defines their identity. It is also, one of the most difficult life questions to answer.

Scripture shows us examples of the role of men in God’s plan of salvation. In the Old Testament, the men living in Jerusalem were considered heads of their households: “All these men were heads of their families” (1 Chr 9:9). St Paul also charges husbands with the responsibility to love and protect their wives “as Christ loved the church and gave his life for it” (Eph 5:23, 25). Leaders in the Church are to resist being overwhelmed by pride, and be respectable men of good character (1 Tim 3:5, 7).

Perhaps the easiest way to learn what it takes to be a good man is to look at the shining examples history puts before us, the greatest of whom, should surely be St Joseph, spouse of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, and patron of the Universal Church. Let’s look at some lessons we can draw from the compassion and humility of St Joseph, foster father of our Lord.

Compassion
Joseph was a carpenter by trade, and became betrothed to Mary. Originally unaware of the child’s divine origin, upon discovering the Mary was with child, Joseph wanted to protect her from the possible backlash she could face, during a time when women accused of adultery could possibly be stoned to death (Mt 1:19). His compassion cam before his ego. His foremost priority upon discovering his fiancée’s pregnancy was not to accuse her of infidelity, but to protect her dignity and safety.

Today, popular culture and mass entertainment has eroded men’s respect for women. The value of women has been reduced to an object of sexual gratification, to be won over by a masculinity defined by wealth, political influence, popularity and sex appeal, as opposed to the husband-figure described by St Paul. St Joseph’s example reminds us that as men, we are called to reject the casual objectification of women in film and media, and to remember our mission to protect the dignity of women, like how Christ defends the dignity of His Church.

Humility
St Joseph also led a humble life, working in what most would consider a lower-skilled profession in his time (some of the people whom Jesus preached to did not take him seriously, for He was the son of a carpenter) (cf Mt 13:55-56). During Jesus’ circumcision ceremony, he and Mary offered a pair of doves (cf Luke 2:24). This was allowed because they were too poor to afford a lamb.

As generations of young people grow up with the belief that success solely stems from how much money they make and how influential they become, our society has become a more cutthroat and competitive environment. A man whose self-esteem is founded upon the benchmarks of economic materialism – rather than on his identity as a son of God – will become endlessly discouraged by how little he has compared to other men. We are all equally loved by God, regardless of what position we hold or achieve in life. This is a message we need to constantly remind ourselves and our students.

God desires not our earthly accolades, but that we “do what is just, to show constant love, and to live in humble fellowship” with Him (cf Micah 6:8), as St Joseph has exemplified in his simple lifestyle. Pope Francis echoed during a recent Palm Sunday homily, the humility of Christ became the saving grace of humanity. Likewise, as educators, we are called to emulate that willingness to empty ourselves of personal ambition, and devote our hearts to the greater good of nurturing God’s young people.

It is an opportune time in this Jubilee of Mercy to recognise man’s calling to love and protect, to respect and treat our fellow men as fathers and brothers, and women as mothers and sisters (1 Tim 5:1-2). St Joseph’s was a man living a humble life filled with great love, and we are all called to be men like him.