How Love Taught, How Love

Teaches
Cormentis
1. Authority... Jesus came into the world as the savior, but in order to act as
savior he made it clear through signs, miracles, knowledge (teaching), and
action that he was truly qualified as such. Cormentis as a school, and all
those members carrying out the work of educating within Cormentis, must
also be able to demonstrate their authority as people who have learned, but
who actively know how to go about learning.
2. Calling... Disciples, Jesus' students, didn't one day up and pursue a
vagabond life of holiness on a whim; they were invited, both explicitly and by
means of their hearts being excited. He called Peter and the other apostles
boldly by name, and incited whole crowds to pursue His mission by the
beauty of his message. So too, we at Cormentis see the importance in
reaching out to students, recognizing their gifts, inspiring their noble desires,
and calling them to action.
3. Relationship... It must be remembered that Jesus loved his disciples before
they were his saints, in all their weakness and brokenness they we his
nonetheless. Love is not true love when conditional, and accordingly,
students at Cormentis are loved because they are, no strings attached. We
don't qualify pursuing a true relationship on behavior, academic ability,
reciprocated respect, etc. Furthermore, Jesus not only sought relationship
without regard to worthiness, He also maintained his relationships by walking
with those whom He loved. We don't want to educated from a distance, we
want to be a part of the journey, serving as a map and companion for
students, as the venture to understand the true, good, and beautiful.
4. Prayer... Though He was God, Jesus was in a relationship with His Father, our
Father. We call two people talking a conversation, we call a conversation
between people and their creator prayer. Jesus taught by example, as well
as formally, how and what to pray. There is no more powerful education on
this earth than active love and prayer, which admittedly, are one in the same
in practice. We teach prayer so that kids learn to talk to their Dad, and their
Dad always speaks back to them their utter worth and beauty. Its where love
is spoken directly from the source. For a child to know their dignity is to make
them eternally fortified.
5. Inquiry & Analogy... "Who do you say that I am?", "Who was a neighbor to
the man?", "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?", The

Sower and the seed, The Lost Sheep, etc. There are so many examples of
Jesus inviting inquiry and offering comparisons. He taught by inviting inquiry,
and made his message accessible through analogy. When you are working
with a community of shepherds and farmers you compare mercy to a lost
sheep, and the suitability of the human heart for the kingdom to soil and
seed. At Cormentis we invite curiosity as a gateway to inquiry and truth. We
also make it our responsibility to meet students where they are,
and communicate in a way they will understand, so not as to water down the
message, but to offer them a latter on which they can rise to full
understanding.
6. Commissioning... Jesus didn't educate about a theoretical love, or a
symbolic kingdom of heaven which was "at hand", He had his disciples act on
the realities which began to unfold before them. he sent 72 to out and had
them actually give up their possessions, heal, preach, exercise, etc. He let
them learn of his power and love by acting with it. So too, as is mentioned on
the cafe style education page, we want students to learn by action. To do is a
powerful, living lesson.
7. Suffer... Its obvious that Jesus spared himself no suffering, but its also
important to acknowledge that his disciples shared, in a small way, His pain.
To do good work in a broken world has the inherent demand of suffering
freely accepted and joyfully endured. Teachers at Cormentis need to give all
to their students, joy and pain they offer themselves. Students also are called
to embrace the fact that their education, to have substantial meaning, will
require some suffering through hard-work and vulnerability with self. This
isn't to imply a doom and gloom, burdensome curriculum and expectations,
Jesus brought the good news and carried a "light" burden, but is simply to
address that the good news manifested itself through sacrifice. It won't
always be easy but it will be worth it.
8. Mercy... Relating back to the unconditional nature of Jesus willingness to
establish a relationship with his followers, It is worth further highlighting that
when he was betrayed, forsaken, misunderstood, persecuted, killed,
abandoned, by many of his very followers, He responded with "father forgive
them" and with the simple continuity of the claim that they, that we, are His.
Students should never fear the loss of the care and claim of their teacher
upon them. There are consequences. The disciples experienced mush
heartache and fear in having to acknowledge their disloyalty to their risen
Savior, but in light of their heartfelt repentance, the first words Jesus utters to
the group extinguish their shame and regret, "Peace be with you." We strive
to offer this peace and forgiveness in the same manner, immediate and upon
no condition.

9. Transcend... When Jesus completed his mission, by bringing about salvation

through his death and rising to life. Prior to the Crucifixion there was a
supper in which He gave Himself as food to his apostles, that that when He
rose, they would too. In offering ourselves to the children at Cormentis, we
hope too to be the catalyst by which the self-transcendence of true education
is brought about. Grander heart and higher minds are what we desire.

Cormentis