Do Everything with Great Love
One of my daily prayer practices is to sit in the adoration chapel and read a few pages from books about the faith. Recently, I finished Seven Words of Jesus and Mary by Fulton Sheen. One grace I consistently receive from this practice is discovering a simple, yet life-changing, truth I can apply to everyday life. From this book, that grace came through a powerful quote:
“It makes no difference what you do here on earth; what matters is the love with which you do it.”
Our culture often sells the lie, especially to young people, that our value comes from how much recognition we receive. We're led to believe that the more people who praise our actions, the more meaningful those actions are. This belief causes kids (and adults) to base their worth on the approval of others. Just ask a child what they want to be when they grow up; chances are, one of the top answers will be, “a YouTuber.” Why? Because YouTubers, like athletes and musicians, often receive mass recognition and praise.
But here’s the problem: God doesn’t measure our lives by how many people know our names. He cares about the love behind our actions. Fulton Sheen illustrates this point with a story:
A wealthy woman, prominent in society, arrives at the gates of heaven. Saint Peter shows her a beautiful mansion and says, "This is your chauffeur’s home." Expecting even more for herself, she eagerly asks about her own. Saint Peter points to a tiny cottage and says, "There is yours." Shocked, the woman protests, but Peter responds, "I’m sorry, that’s the best I could do with the material you sent us."
The lesson is clear: the chauffeur, though lowly by worldly standards, served with great love. The woman, for all her status, lacked humility and genuine love. God sees and rewards according to the heart behind our actions.
How does this apply to St. Mary Catholic School?
First, we must understand the proper definition of love. The world often defines love as simply making someone happy. But this definition falls apart quickly. Imagine a child who begs to eat an entire cake—while it would make him happy in the moment, it would certainly not be good for him! The true definition of love, according to Saint Thomas Aquinas, is “to will the good of the other, as other.” In simpler terms, love means choosing what is truly best for another, even when it’s hard, and even when it might not immediately make them happy. As the old song says, "Love Hurts"—a sentiment fittingly recorded by the band Nazareth!
A practical application at school
As principal, part of my job is discipline. However, true discipline must be rooted in love. Suppose a student gets angry and shouts a swear word. Discipline without love might look like yelling at the student and making him miss recess all week, while sweeping floors—punishment for punishment’s sake, where the goal is to induce suffering.
But discipline with great love is different. I might have the student miss a recess to write a one-page essay on the virtue of charity, focusing on using charitable language. While the consequence may still be difficult, the goal is to help the student grow in virtue and holiness, which is truly for his good.
From the students' perspective
At St. Mary, we teach that everything—even studying—can be done with great love. A student who studies simply for praise or a good grade misses the deeper purpose. A student who studies with love does so to gain knowledge to serve others better in the future. The good grade is a bonus, not the ultimate goal. This is one of the great blessings of a Catholic education: we see every action, big or small, as an opportunity to grow in love and holiness.
How you can help
If you’d like to support us in teaching students to do everything with great love, consider purchasing this month’s evangelization items: a candle and a t-shirt featuring Fulton Sheen’s beautiful quote. These would make meaningful Mother’s Day gifts! Every bit of profit from these products supports our students’ journey toward sainthood. You can also help by joining our 1612 Club with monthly donations.
Your prayers and support are vital as we continue our mission of making saints who will make saints!
God bless you,
Stephen Hart
Principal
St. Mary Catholic School
