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-check out this week's LinC Letter at www.parishlincletter.blogspot.com
-I will be celebrating mass at 8am and 6pm on Sunday
Pop Quiz
Remember the thing called a "pop quiz" back in high school? You walk into the classroom and the teacher says "take out a piece of paper for a pop quiz." Ugh. The pop quiz is very different from a midterm or final exam. The exam is scheduled, explicit in its subjects, and the professor often provided study guides even. An exam measures the ability of the student to become familiar with a certain material (called "cramming") and to regurgitate it according to the professors requirements.
Not so, the "pop quiz" you may say. The pop quiz, we may complain, cannot be prepared for. However, that is a delusion. If we think about it the preparation for the pop quiz really is known, assigned, published and explicit. It is called homework. In fact, the pop quiz is a better measure of the quality of a student/learner than the exam. The pop quiz reveals whether or not the student is living a learning and obedient life, daily doing the reading and the assigned homework.
The Lord in the Gospel today is presenting us with two styles of discipleship( A certain type of student). On the first hand, those who are not concerned about doing the daily and diligent work of study being only concerned about the final exam/personal judgment and hoping to succeed in impressing the great master. In the second case, the style of discipleship which is regular and constant, obedience, steady, authentic learner.
Remember the kid in school who, during a passionate rant by the teacher, puts his hand up and asks (much to the teachers chagrin) "is this going to be on the test?"
Which type of disciple shall you be? The one counting on cramming for the exam or the one always prepared for the quiz-so it doesn't pop?
