THE TEST OF TIME

TODAY: When you face life's tests, pray these words from St. Thomas Aquinas, patron saint of students: "Creator of all things … penetrate into the darkness of my understanding… Give me a sharp sense of understanding, a retentive memory, and the ability to grasp things correctly and fundamentally. Grant me the talent of being exact in my explanations, and the ability to express myself with thoroughness and charm. Point out the beginning, direct the progress, help in the completion. Through Christ, Our Lord. Amen."

Maybe you have seen the bumper sticker: "As long as there are tests, there will be prayer in schools." Every semester it was lived out in my classroom of hopeful students, heads bowed, silently petitioning as I passed out the papers on exam day. Given the cue to start, they began busily circling the multiple choice answers and scratching away at the short answer questions.

Periodically, their eyes would dart to the clock ticking the time away. As the exam period drew to a close, I would announce, "10 more minutes." This was always greeted with a gasp by those who remained toiling away at their papers.

Those were bittersweet words to me. I remembered hearing my teachers announce, "10 more minutes." After this, I could hardly remember my name. Anxiety washed over me. Second guessing began: Is it really "a?" Now "b" sounds better, and I have already circled so many "a's." What is the right answer? What if I can't finish? Have I left something out? After studying long and hard, now all the facts were a jumble. There was no peace. Only doubt and anxiety.

Where is the peace in the timed test? We can't be sure we have studied all the right things. Can't know every detail, every diagram, every nuance. Can't remember every fact. Can't be sure ours will be the A+ paper. We can only do our best to prepare: prioritize our time, focus on the important things, ask questions if concepts are unclear.

But then we must trust ourselves to do what we've prepared to do. And this begins with a prayer of thanksgiving. Thanks to God for the good mind He's given us. Thanks for bringing us to this test, confident He'll bring us through it. Thanks that the outcome is His, and it's not for us to know ahead of time. He's already seen the grade book, the report card and the graduation announcement.

And in this certainty there is power. Power to do what we're able without anxiety and without doubt. Shielded from worry, it all comes together, even before the last 10 minutes. In this is peace, the Peace of Christ.

Yes, prayer goes on in our classrooms, along with test-taking and learning, too. And this is preparation for our lives, which are full of timed tests and often, little peace. As Christians, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, we present our requests to God (Philippians 4:6). Christ answers, "Peace be with you." (John 20:21)

— Wendy LeBolt

Courtesy of The Church of the Good Shepherd United Methodist