"Reflections on the Right Use of School Studies with a View to the Love of God"
I pass along to you this wonderful essay by the great Christian teacher, Simone Weil. If you are unfamiliar with her as a person, see the Wikipedia link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simone_Weil. Reflections on the Right Use of School Studies with a View to the Love of God by Simone Weil * From Waiting for God , trans. by Emma Craufurd New York: Harper and Row, 1951 THE KEY TO A CHRISTIAN CONCEPTION OF STUDIES is the realization that prayer consists of attention. It is the orientation of all the attention of which the soul is capable toward God. The quality of the attention counts for much in the quality of the prayer. Warmth of heart cannot make up for it The highest part of the attention only makes contact with God, when prayer is intense and pure enough for such a contact to be established; but the whole attention is turned toward God. Of course school exercises only develop a lower kind of attention. Nevertheless, they are extremely effective in increasing...