See Judge Act
Happy New Year!
The traditional greeting can sound trite given the year most of us have had. Still, the greeting carries within it the seeds of hope that the new year will be better, so I’m sticking with it. I wanted to take a moment to give you a motto that circulated decades ago that can provide an anchor for you and your family as you resume home schooling this week.
The phrase, see, judge, act, is simple to remember and pass on to your children. It was coined after World War 1 by a Belgian priest whose name was Joseph Cardijn. Rod Dreher writes about it in his recently published book, Live Not By Lies
Dreher writes,
The refugee priest taught the young Slovak believers that every person must be accountable to God for his actions. Freedom is responsibility, he stressed; it is a means to live within the truth.
This phrase was picked up by Father Kolakovic, a Jesuit priest who fled Croatia and settled in Czechoslovakia near the end of World War 2. He anticipated that Russia would put an end to Nazi totalitarianism in the region, only to replace it with their own version of the same. He knew the Czechoslovakian people were not ready for what was coming. He dedicated himself to preparing them for the coming hard times.
The significance of the slogan, see, judge, act, is relevant for us today, even if you’re optimistic in the long term about the future.
Dreher summarizes the significance of the words:
See: be awake to the realities around you
Judge: discern soberly the meaning of those realities in light of what you know to be true, especially from the teachings of the Christian faith.
Act: After you reach a conclusion, then you are to act to resist evil.
As you enter the new year, teach these concepts regularly to your children in a way that is appropriate to their maturity level. The Slovakian Christians, while among the most persecuted in the Soviet Bloc, were among the most resilient because one man saw what was coming and prepared.
Thanks always, for reading!
Curt Bumcrot, MRE
During the month of January, we’ve rolled back the price of remote group testing to 2020 levels. You can save up to $5.00 per student by registering and paying for testing this month. You may schedule to test anytime in 2022!
To take advantage of this offer and see the 2022 testing dates, go here. The testing discount will be applied when you pay for testing.
Beginning February 1st, prices go up, so act now!
