Christian teaching – a source of light and communion[*]

At the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year, we congratulate and bless the students, parents, grandparents, teachers, and professors, urging them, with paternal love, to cultivate Christian teaching in their lives.

Holy Scripture highlights the importance of teaching for human life: "Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go; keep her, for she is your life" (Proverbs of Solomon 4, 13); "Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you" (I Timothy 4, 16).

The Holy Apostle Paul shows the benefit of acquiring the teaching from the Holy Scriptures: "For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope" (Romans 15, 4). At the same time, the Apostle of the Gentiles warns about the danger of misleading teaching: "That we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head - Christ" (Ephesians 4, 14-15).

The "Teacher" (Matthew 23, 10) and "Light of the world" (John 8, 12) is the Lord Jesus Christ, the One who said: "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live" (John 11, 25).

In a technicized and secularized society, in which spiritual values are neglected, and non-values and ephemeral models are often promoted, it is necessary to resettle education on the teaching stemming from the Gospel of the humble and merciful love of Christ. In the Family, in the Church and in the School, it is relevant to capitalize on the formative specifics of religious education, which contribute to affirming the eternal value and dignity of the human person, as well as reducing the negative effects of the contemporary crisis of identity and orientation.

By transmitting with wisdom, patience and love the perennial values of the Christian faith, the deep spiritual meaning of life is discovered, love for people and for the entire creation of God is cultivated, communion between generations is promoted. In the year 2023, proclaimed in the Romanian Patriarchate as Year of Pastoral Care for the Elderly, we gratefully mention the grandparents who support the efforts of children in acquiring healthy education, "For the commandment is a lamp, and the law a light” (Proverbs of Solomon 6, 23).

We pray to the Most Holy Trinity, the Source of life and eternal love, to illuminate and fill the souls of students, parents, grandparents, teachers and professors with peace and joy, to be a blessing for the Church and the Romanian people.

With much appreciation and paternal blessing,

† DANIEL

Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church

[*] The message of His Beatitude DANIEL, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, at the beginning of the school year 2023-2024.