If it’s one thing we love at Christ the Savior Academy, it’s a good story. And we know that worthwhile stories while training attention and exercising reading skills, are also powerful vehicles for teaching virtue and values. Our Lord himself taught his disciples using stories: “Once there was a man who planted a vineyard… Once there was a woman who had ten coins…”
The Lost Coin by Domenico Fetti
Our hearts are made for stories.
With this in mind, each year our students dive into beautiful, classic literature like Charlotte’s Web and Heidi, Frog and Toad, and A Tale of Two Cities – all stories that are replete with lessons in virtue. Since CSA is a classical Orthodox Christian school, our students also learn the stories of Christians throughout history who have lived lives worthy of the telling.
Heroes of the Faith: Learning from the Saints
At Christ the Savior Academy, one of our school-wide practices is learning about the life of one saint each week. The saints are heroes of the faith, role models, and examples of lives that can be either very similar to or quite different from the ones we are living and the ones that we see around us.
These lives – these stories – are so precious to our children’s spiritual development! Christ admonished his disciples (and us), saying, “Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me.” But what exactly might that look like? The lives of the saints give us many varied examples of crosses shouldered and paths toward Christ faithfully followed. There are martyrs like St. Catherine whose witness, even to death, moved many to turn toward Christ. Some are mothers like St. Emelia, steadfastly raising their children to love God. Others may be poets like St. Ephraim, writing words of deep and beautiful theology, or physicians like St. Valentine, sharing their healing skills freely with their poorest patients.
There are at least two saints by the name of Valentine, but one, in particular, was what we sometimes call an “unmercenary healer”, a physician who offered his services and medicines freely to those in need. Part of our Orthodox Christian Valentine’s Day celebration at CSA is recalling his story.
colored engraving of St. Valentine by Diodore Rahoult
More Than Candy Hearts: An Orthodox Christian Valentine’s Day
There will be plenty of fun on Valentine’s Day. Our students will begin the day with “Muffins with Moms” – our annual tradition recognizing the selfless love of their mothers, godmothers, grandmothers, and other women in their lives who faithfully care for them and pray for them. And, of course, our students will exchange the traditional Valentine’s Day cards with their classmates.
In honor of St. Valentine, and in preparation for this holiday, our fourth-grade class made Valentine gift bags for children to be distributed at The Treehouse. The Treehouse is a nonprofit organization here in Wichita that “offers mothers and babies a brighter future through sharing God’s love, basic necessities, education, and genuine personal care.”
Mrs. Wisniewski encouraged her students to give thoughtful consideration to the type of Valentine’s gift bag they would find meaningful and fun. Each student then contributed a set of 20 to 25 identical items – prepackaged treats, pencils, erasers, bouncy balls – whatever they were excited to donate. The class assembled the bags in time to have them delivered to The Treehouse earlier this week so they would be ready for distribution and delight!
We are blessed to enjoy St. Valentine’s Day as more than just the fleeting appearance of chalky candy hearts and paper doilies. This Orthodox Christian Valentine’s Day takes its rightful place in the rhythm of remembrance as we retell the story of a man who demonstrated godly love toward others, a man who shared his time and talents selflessly and courageously.
From Stories to Service: Embracing a Life of Faith
In 1 Corinthians, St. Paul describes how to live a faithful life: “Whether therefore you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” Those are words that can be mystifying to a child (or really any of us)! The stories of saints, like St. Valentine, offer our children concrete examples of faithful Christians glorifying God through lives filled with all kinds of activities and jobs: doctors, lawyers, singers, soldiers, cooks, and kings! And our teachers guide them with practical ways to share God’s love with others, even as children. All of this comes together in meaningful, frequent opportunities that connect students to examples of virtue in others and equip them to develop their own virtuous character.
Happy St. Valentine’s Day!
