Milk and Honey

In the Foreword of The Catholic Homeschool Companion, Bishop Carl Mengeling writes on what our goals should be as homeschoolers. He speaks of Maria Montessori whose fundamental principle in her education program laid in two words: milk and honey. He also spoke of St. Augustine, who said that the milk is the fundamental needs we have in this life -- the need for food, shelter, and clothing. Augustine said that is important, but the milk is not enough by itself.

Today, most Americans are drowning in milk. We have so much milk that we are drowning in it. Public education these days, for the most part, is merely to prepare people to get more milk.

What is often missing in the lives of so many people is the honey. The honey is what gives meaning and purpose and destiny to our lives and gives meaning to all this milk stuff. The honey is our Christian faith.

Think about milk and how it sours over time. Material stuff, the milk of our existence, does not last forever. It is fleeting. Honey, on the other hand, does not spoil. Our faith, our love of God, can bring us eternal life.