The daily battles of life can easily distract us from the larger war that we are fighting.

Written by Fr. Stephen Gadberry, pastor, St. Theresa Catholic Church and School, Diocese of Little Rock, [email protected]

In the summer of 2007, I was charged with sweeping the vast warehouse weekly. By late August, I had a method that allowed me to finish right at 50 minutes. There was never a shortage of dust, dirt, and sand, but that was expected since we were in the desert. That summer, my unit was responsible for all cargo coming into and out of Iraq. Keeping a clean and tidy workplace was important considering the various delicate and high-priced pieces of equipment that passed through our doors each day. I was a logistics specialist in the U.S. Air Force stationed at Balad Air Base.

The work was tedious and often seemed menial, but I knew it was essential for the events going on outside the wire. I understood that my work directly supported the operations of the troops patrolling the streets from Baghdad to Balad. I recognized that I was playing a small but critical role in the larger mission. That gave me peace in monotony. That summer not only made me a professional sweeper. It also taught me some things I still use every day.

This Tuesday, November 11, we will celebrate Veterans Day, a holiday set aside to honor all the living military veterans who have served our great nation. I am proud of our nation’s veterans, and I am honored to be numbered among them. I’m grateful for my time in the military and all that it taught me. In addition to gaining a plethora of practical knowledge, it gave me a much larger perspective of the world and a deeper understanding of humanity. That wisdom has helped me tremendously in my current vocation as a Catholic priest. I think some of that wisdom will be helpful for you as teachers and administrators.

The daily battles of life can easily distract us from the larger war that we are fighting. Saint Ignatius of Loyola refers to the tactics of the Devil as “distractions in battle.” When a troop is distracted and complacent, they are vulnerable. That vulnerability puts everyone at risk. Many things distract us, and complacency threatens all of us. To fight this, we must keep two things ever in our minds:

1. What is the mission? Why do our schools exist? Why are we here as a team? In short, we want our children to be saints! As Catholic school educators, we have the tremendous blessing of journeying with our students. There are plenty of amazing resources on this blog and from NCEA to help us better understand our larger mission.
2. What is your role in that mission? How is the Lord calling you to participate in the larger mission? Are you a team player? The subject you teach is a small but necessary part of the larger formation of your children. Do it with gratitude and generosity.

In Iraq, I was responsible for shipping cargo, but that also meant that I had to sweep the floor. You may teach math or science, but you’re also called to recess duty and carline. On this Veterans Day, I invite you to consider not only the greater fight for our salvation, but also how the Lord desires to use YOU to save souls.

Want to hear more from Fr. Stephen Gadberry? Enjoy his webinar on “Pastor & Principal Collaboration and Leadership” with Kristy Dunn, then join them at NCEA 2026 for an inspiring professional learning session.

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