There is no such thing as a cookie-cutter teacher. Like their students, teachers are unique human beings with distinct talents, aptitudes, and life stories. Yet beyond their many gifts, our teachers are united by the same priority: love. They teach for the simple reason that they love their students. For them, teaching is the chance to unlock the highest potential of mankind’s next generation. As St. John Chrysostom said, there is no more important or worthwhile endeavor on this earth.

There are as many reasons to read great literature as there are great books themselves. Here are five of them.

For centuries, he has been a symbol of grandeur and courage.

He represents the sacred. In Hellenic thought he was associated with Zeus, Apollo, Leto, and Artemis; he was understood to have harnessed the energy of the sun. In Christian tradition, he is a symbol of Christ, announcing the light that follows even the blackest night. He was present at one of the darkest moments in all of human history, when Christ was abandoned by his best friend; yet he sang out not to condemn, but rather to announce the redemptive grace offered by every new day.