On the one hand, there is a sense of excitement. September is a fresh start – a new class, new faces and new possibilities. The smell of fresh books and the sight of rows of newly sharpened pencils remind us that anything is possible. There is a sense of potential and hope as we prepare to begin again.
Many of us are also looking forward to seeing our colleagues and getting back into our familiar routines – including normal eating and sleeping patterns. It’s not just the children who have become accustomed to ice-cream every day and staying on the couch for ‘just one more episode’!
But alongside the excitement, there can also be a deep sense of fatigue.
We haven’t even started the new school year, and already we can feel weary. For some, the summer has been busy and demanding, particularly with our own little ones to entertain and long days to fill. For others, the opportunity to recover properly from the previous school year may have been short-lived, or perhaps never really came at all.
And then there is September itself.
There are a million decisions to be made: timetables, class routines, rules, schemes of work, support plans, meetings, resources… the list seems endless. It can all feel a little overwhelming. And many of us know that September and October can feel like the longest stretch of the school year. Right now, that October mid-term seems a very long way away!
In the midst of all this, there may be comfort in remembering that Jesus was a teacher too.
The Gospels show us that Jesus knew what it was to be tired. He knew what it was to have crowds constantly seeking his attention. He knew the frustration of explaining something again and again. He knew what it was to give so much of himself to others that he needed to step away, to rest and to pray.
And yet, Jesus never lost sight of his purpose.
He believed in the people before him. He was patient with those who struggled to understand. He welcomed those who felt forgotten. He encouraged those who were afraid. He taught not simply with words, but through the way he lived and the way he treated others. Perhaps that is what we are called to do too.
We may not always feel energetic, patient or inspired. There will be difficult days, challenging children and moments when we wonder if we are making any difference at all. But we are not expected to do it all perfectly, and we are certainly not expected to do it all alone. The same Jesus who walked alongside his disciples walks alongside us.
Jesus, our teacher and our friend,
help us to embrace the possibilities that lie before us
as we begin this new academic year.
Give us hope when the days feel long,
patience when things are difficult,
wisdom when we are unsure,
and joy in the ordinary moments.
Amen.