"You Have But One Teacher"

Victoria Roth

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Bishop Erik Varden preaches at a Lenten retreat for Pope Leo and the Roman Curia on Feb. 22, 2026.

(photo: Vatican Media)

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Every Lent, I find myself in search of some new, edifying spiritual reading. While sometimes that search results in humbly returning to some well-known passage of Scripture that the Lord is opening up in new ways, this year I did receive something new.

This year, Bishop Erik Varden of Trondheim was selected by Pope Leo to lead a Lenten retreat at the Vatican for the Curia and Leo himself. Bishop Varden shared the texts of his talks on his website, and I took some time last week to read through them. Although I highly recommend the whole series, there was a brief line at the end of one reflection that struck me most powerfully in light of our work as CGS catechists.

"[Y]oung people yearn to meet teachers who are worthy of trust."

Of course, I thought. They are yearning to meet the Good Shepherd!

Point #4 of the 32 Points says this: "The catechist is not a teacher, remembering that the only Teacher is Christ himself." I often reflect on what a humbling challenge and—at the same time—a glorious relief this admonishment is. The allure of being the "teacher worthy of trust" is a strong one and yet, when confronted with my many weaknesses and imperfections, I am endlessly grateful that my work is not to be the Teacher, but merely to point to Him.

I find that the Lord often puts things together in our lives to emphasize or draw out a certain point. Last week we read from the gospel of Matthew, "As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’ You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers.... The greatest among you must be your servant" (23:8, 11)

What might it mean to truly see the children in the atrium not as our students, but as our brethren, beside whom we "place [our]selves in a listening stance before [Christ's] Word" (32 Points, #3)? And indeed, not as our brethren, but as those whom we serve? I may use that phrase frequently—"serving" the children—but do I live it? How do I embody that that service more completely?

One answer may be found in the example of one of our greatest saints: a man whose feast day looms large over this month of March, but to whom we can attribute not a single recorded word. Saint Joseph is a great model to the CGS catechist. Rather than speak, he listens. And when he listens, he obeys. In Level Two, in the presentation of the story of the Flight into Egypt, we lift up Joseph's obedience, his cooperation with God's plan. We can imagine that it must have been challenging to follow directions so startling and disruptive, but Joseph does it quietly and quickly in obedience to God and love for the child Jesus whom Joseph was tasked with protecting.

May we all live, work, and serve after the example of Saint Joseph. And may our service always point to Christ, the One True Teacher.

St. Joseph, pray for us!

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Victoria Roth is a catechist in the Diocese of Spokane, Washington and a member of the Our Lady of Good Help CGS board. She is level one certified and serves as Coordinator of CGS and a lead catechist in the St. Nicholas Atrium at St. Mary’s Catholic School in Spokane Valley. She also serves as a level two assistant at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes in Spokane.