Pastoral Thought--July 27

Every student struggles in some subjects throughout their academic career. As we know, not every concept comes naturally to our minds. While we have to work to master some subjects, others just don’t seem to settle in our minds well. 

For me, the struggle was always with geometry. It was the only class in my entire academic career (which as you know has been extensive), that I could not navigate. While other classes, and subjects brought about periods of struggle for me, geometry was the hardest thing I ever tried to tackle. No matter how long I studied, or how diligently I did outside of the class homework, or whose help I sought, the Geometric concepts never (and I do mean never) became clear in my mind. 

The only time that I did not finish a grading period with a “D” in geometry was the one grading period around Christmas when I was awarded 300 bonus points. It was our teachers gift to us to have a week of trivia that ended with bonus points being given based upon our team’s results. In that grading period, when my scores were combined with the bonus points, I received a “B-.” Like I said, I’m not very good at geometry. 

Oh, Pascal and the cursed geometry that you invented. . . how you haunt me even today. Thankfully JonMark understood geometry so I was not needed to assist with homework. He would work through it silently, and I was thankful. Emma was a different story. It seemed almost every day she asked for help, and every day, I told her that I didn’t understand the concepts. She looked at me blankly expecting that I would figure the problems out for her. I couldn’t. . .  

I bet you didn’t know that while Blaise Pascal is credited with the creation of geometry, he was also a well known as a Catholic theologian in the 17th century. After having an experience with God, Pascal began to write poetry, or open verses, expressing how the encounter between God and himself, changed Pascal forever. In the pocket of his favorite coat he had embroidered the word “FIRE.” But he didn’t explain why that was there. 

A mind that was built to understand the complexity of geometry, was held captive by the work of Jesus and the love of God. He often expressed a sense of joy to God for what God’s work in his life meant. 

He wrote:

Greatness of the human soul.

O righteous Father, the world hath not known Thee,

But I have know Thee

Joy, joy, joy, tears of joy. 

This is life eternal: That they might know Thee

The only true God, and Him whom Thou has sent, Jesus Christ,

Jesus Christ,

Jesus Christ. 

I have separated myself from Him; I have fled, renounced, 

Crucified Him.

May I never be separated from Him. 

I wonder today, at the start of a new week, in the places of your day that and life that seem unclear or even impossible to navigate, if you can find Pascal’s joy? And if you find in, I wonder what God is asking you to do with that joy? 

Blessings

Rev. Derek