iServi News | 7 February 2020 | Term 1, Week 1
In 2020, Servite College celebrates our Year of Respect. Respect is one of the fundamental human values that we need to nourish within ourselves and show to everyone.
Let’s look at a Triple H model for Respect, from our Head, to our Heart and then our Hands.
HEAD
(WHAT) We build our knowledge
Honour and respect begins at home. The word Honour comes from a Hebrew word which means, ‘to be heavy’ or ‘to give weight’. It involves giving serious consideration to people, offering them profound respect and a place of importance. Our first teachers are our parents, guiding us to learn all the basic things we need to know.
HEART
(WHERE) We come to love the things we’ve learned
The values and behaviours we learn from our parents and guardians moves from our minds to enter our hearts, creating a place where we do things out of love and not just because we know how to do those things. Giving respect to everyone comes from our heart, as an expression of love.
HANDS
(HOW) We put our minds and hearts into action
It is our challenge to show the value of respect to everyone around us whether we like them or not; whether we love them or hate them. We should always give respect to our loved ones, but also not deny it to the other people in our lives, even our enemies. Remember what Jesus said, “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Mt. 5:44.
We are inspired by the Seven Holy Founders of the Servite Order, and the way they always showed respect to everybody, whether they were people within their community or outside their community. Regardless of relationships and status, let us remember that we are all created in the likeness and image of God.
We call on our Seven Holy Founders, St Philip, St Juliana and St Peregrine to help us to share the value of respect with everyone.
Fr Ruben Cardona
College Chaplain