Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Calculus and Faith!

When I was young, math always came easy to me.  It started with Mrs. Todd teaching me the multiplication table in 2nd grade, and continued into Mrs. Lehman's 3rd grade bi-weekly quizzes that I would always ace!  This continued through honor's math through middle school.  But there did come a time when math became difficult and I didn't actually understand the material.  It was in Calculus when numbers were traded in with letters and from the graphs and equations we had to derive or integrate!  I recall a clear moment leading up to my first calculus exam where nothing made sense.  I spent hours with my classmates studying and preparing for the exam.  Maybe it was the Lord's prayers and a divine Grace, but the night before the exam, I can actually recall the place and moment, something happened.  Everything seemed to click!  I understood Calculus!!! (or at least the material for the first exam, there were many more hours of studying to come).





(Mr. Braun's Calc BC Class! I'm in the front with the vest - just look at that hair :)

It was clear in calculus as it is in my faith, some times we don't always understand things right away.  And sometimes we need to put ourselves into a position to understanding through work!

My oldest sister, Suzie, understands this!  Even though my nephew is enjoying his summer vacation, he still is required by his mom, my sister, to read 20 minutes a day and do daily math problems!  Why?  My sister understands that Liam, through reading and doing math problems, will grow in comprehension and problem solving!  What if Liam, my nephew, were to come up to his mom and say, "Mom, I'm just not getting anything out of reading and doing math problems, and I'd rather play video games?"  You can only imagine his mother's response, "Tough!" My sister knows, that even if Liam can't see his progress and growth in his comprehension and problem solving, he is improving and putting himself into a position to succeed in school!

These stories came to mind as I read the Gospel for this past weekend (John 6:41-51).  The Jews began to murmur against Jesus!  These were the same people who followed Jesus, saw his miracles, and had their fill with the multiplication of the loaves.  In the next couple of Sunday readings of the Gospel, we will see those same Jews leave Jesus because they don't understand him!  But guess what?  The Apostles, those who stick with Jesus, didn't understand him either!  Jesus asks them at the end of chapter 6, if they too will leave (Jn 6:67).  It is clear that the Apostles throughout the Gospels didn't understand the Lord, yet they remained with him. Maybe they knew, like my studying for my calculus exam, that they would eventually understand.  Or maybe they knew, like my sister with her son, that they might not see their growth, but are actually growing closer to God!  Either case it involved the Apostles staying with the Lord!

I have encountered many fallen away Catholics.  Many say, "I just don't get anything out of Mass; from the music, to the homilies (not mine of course), to the Eucharist."  What is my response?  It's similar to my sister's response, but maybe with a little more charity; "Tough!"  Just because you don't feel like your getting anything out of Mass doesn't mean you should stop going!  You should work all the more to try to understand what is going on, through personal study or preparation for the Mass.  And you need to trust that the Lord is working even when you don't see it!  Don't be like those who left the Lord because they didn't understand!


So don't be discouraged if you go to Mass and feel like your getting nothing out of it!  Continue to trust that the Lord is working on your heart even when you don't see it, and that He will reveal Himself to us in the Breaking of the Bread! (cf. Luke 24:35)