A Good Teacher of Christian Faith
If I instruct others I must strive to pray and reap for myself that fruit which I desire to see in … [the ones I instruct]. (OOCC, X, pp. 48 - 49; STA, 220)
A good teacher of Christian faith is one who has indepth knowledge of the faith taught by Jesus Christ. He is one who has encountered the Lord Jesus and experienced his teachings. Such a teacher of Christian faith has the facility and capability to instruct others about the faith. Besides having the knowledge of matters of faith and the facility to instruct, he must also be a person who practices the instruction he gives to others. In other words, a good teacher of Christian faith must live what he preaches to others in his own life. He must strive to achieve at least that much perfection in the living of his faith, which he desires to see in those whom he is instructing. Otherwise, his preaching is in vain as far as his own life with God is concerned, for while saving others he is not able to save himself. St. Vincent Pallotti was conscious of this truth. All through his life, he always attempted to live what he preached to others. As a matter of fact, before he instructed others on any aspect of Christian faith, he always put them into practice so that he could speak to them more experientially. He always strived to attain perfection in the persons whom he was instructing.
Is there a correspondence between my words and actions? As a teacher do I practice what I teach others? Do I wish to achieve in me that perfection which I desire to have in the persons I am instructing?
All who listen to my instructions and follow them are wise, like a man who builds his house on solid rock … But those who hear my instructions and ignore them are foolish, like a man who builds his house on sand. (Mt. 8: 24, 26)