To our School Director, Fr. Johnny Go of the Society of Jesus, reverend fathers of the Society of Jesus,  Mr. Samson Lim and Mr. Alvin Ang of the Alumni Association, school administrators, fellow teachers and staff, guests, ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon.

        When I applied in Xavier School four years ago, I thought that this Xavier experience would only be a short stint in my teaching career.  I started as a substitute teacher in the Christian Life Education department of the Grade School.  My contract was only for two months but before it expired I was asked to reflect on the possibility of becoming a Guidance Counselor.  I took that challenge.  For one and a half years, I worked as a Guidance Counselor in the Grade School department; this experience molded me to have a listening heart.  However, my deepest and greatest desire was to go back to the classroom as an English teacher and so I applied in the High School English department. My two-year stay in the English Department gave me this great realization: TEACHING IS A MINISTRY OF GRACE. 

        First of all, I say this because I encounter God in the classroom every day.  My students are not angels but the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in them moves me to believe in their grace as persons and as children of God.  In reading through my students' works, I discover the life of God in them, thus helping me understand their uniqueness.  In the classroom, there are a number of surprises which make me understand God's presence in them.  I remember my teacher in pedagogy telling me to greet the Holy Spirit in my students before entering the classroom.  For the past years, this advice has been my light every time I come to class.  Unconsciously, the grace of God dwelling in me and my students glow in our learning encounter. 

        This great reality makes me a sign, a sacrament of God's loving presence in the classroom.  As a teacher, I give a sign, I speak in signs and lead my students to discover the fuller meaning of a great adventure which we call life.  To be a teacher means becoming a sign of knowledge, to show how things are done.  I do this every time I teach grammatical structures or map out the elements of fiction.  To be a teacher means being a sign of hope to those battered by life's harsh realities especially in their families.  I can say that most of us, if not all of us, are teacher-counselors trying to guide and comfort students as they savor life's joys and face life's many struggles.  In a fuller sense, the teacher becomes a sacrament in the classroom and even beyond. 

        Eventually, teaching taught me to be a giver.  It prompted me to share my ideas and my creative gifts to my students and my colleagues.  My classroom encounters and my conversations with colleagues led me to a fellowship.  Our exchanges built bridges among us; we were enriched by each other's experiences.  We greeted God present in our beings; we became signs to each other; we were gifts to one another.

        Life itself is a lesson plan.  There is a purpose, a goal. Teaching helped me find my life orientation and ultimately my vocation.  The learning experience was not all rosy though.  Some questions came up without being answered, but nonetheless I focused on the goal, assessed the things I have learned, reflected on my questions and realized how much I have grown.

        As I receive this recognition, I remember all the nameless mentors left unnoticed, hidden in the important ministry called teaching.  Thank you for your fidelity.  Thank you for your example.

        To my parents and loved ones, my number one fanatics, thank you for allowing me to disobey you and become a teacher.

        To my brothers and sisters in Notre Dame de Vie, thank you for your unending support and encouragement.

        To the High School Unit, especially my home, the English department, thank you for giving me the chance to pursue the path to which my heart truly directs me.

        To all of you, who are instrumental in my formation as a teacher, THANK YOU.

        Thank you for believing in my grace as a teacher.

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