Occasionally we encounter a student who just doesn't want to learn. If you ever start to wonder about how this will end up, don't lose hope. Even some great scholars and saints struggled with this very thing. One that comes to mind is St. Augustine. He writes in his Confessions, Book One, Chapter 12 (Sheed's translation):
"I disliked learning and hated to be forced to it. But I was forced to it, so that good was done to me though it was not my doing. Short of being driven to it, I certainly would not have learned."
Even though he was generally forced to learn (especially Greek), if it was a subject (like Latin) that delighted him more, he found it much easier to learn. "All this goes to prove that free curiosity is of more value in learning than harsh discipline. But...discipline must control the free play of curiosity..."
Sometimes we need a mixture of both free curiosity and the discipline of study. Whenever we can make learning fun, we aim for that, but we also know that learning might not always feel fun!
Let us rejoice in the times that we encounter children and students who love to learn, but not give up hope when they display resistance, offering them "...that mingling of bitter with sweet which brings us back to You from the poison of pleasure that first drew us away from You."

---

Upcoming Events

• Thursday, May 7: 8th grade retreat
• Friday, May 8: 1 p.m. Dismissal, faculty meeting
• Saturday, May 9: Track Meet
• Tuesday, May 12: 3rd grade field trip; CSS food market
• Wednesday, May 13: 4B Class Mass; 8th grade Mass at Cathedral

---