Exam on Good Friday

egyboy

Hello everyone...here is my situation,
  i have an exam on Good Friday... the exam starts at 8:30am and i wouldnt be able to get to Church until about 10:00am. But I LOVE GOOD FRIDAY!!!! i feel like its a sin to take this exam on Good Friday!!  And the exam will also interfere will all of Holy Week because i will have to study for it the whole week. So what should I do about this? Should I take the exam and go to Church late (which hour would it be at about 10:00am??)?  or should i talk to the dean of the school and take a significantly harder make-up exam later on? or what else could i do?!?!

please help me out quickly!!!!
and please pray for me and my weaknesses!!

minatasgeel

[quote author=egyboy link=topic=7819.msg101681#msg101681 date=1239250826]
Hello everyone...here is my situation,
   i have an exam on Good Friday... the exam starts at 8:30am and i wouldnt be able to get to Church until about 10:00am. But I LOVE GOOD FRIDAY!!!! i feel like its a sin to take this exam on Good Friday!!  And the exam will also interfere will all of Holy Week because i will have to study for it the whole week. So what should I do about this? Should I take the exam and go to Church late (which hour would it be at about 10:00am??)?  or should i talk to the dean of the school and take a significantly harder make-up exam later on? or what else could i do?!?!

please help me out quickly!!!!
and please pray for me and my weaknesses!!


take the exam. manage your time around the exam. when you're done with your exam you can go to church after.

egyboy

do you know which hour it would be at around 10:00am? probably the beginning of the 3rd hour right?

peterfarrington

Is it the Lord who has brought you to this stage in your life and service?

He is surely aware that as He has brought you through the effort of study to this point in your life that there is a conflict between the service of prayer and the service of work.

It is very good indeed that you should want to be in Church, especially in Holy Week, but if God wishes you to commit yourself properly to your studies, and to work, and to family and friends, all of which are also acts of service, then whether you are in the presence of God in Church and praying, or prayerfully in the presence of God and offering a sacrifice of effort in your studies, then it is the same God in whose presence you are serving.

There are many who are having to work on Good Friday, nurses, doctors, the police etc etc. So this is a balance that faithful Orthodox must often make throughout their lives. Is is better for a nurse to serve others on Good Friday if this unavoidable, or to be in Church? As our Lord teaches, it is never a sin to do good on any day, and obedient service of God, whether in prayer, study or unavoidable employment is good.

I am sure that you should do as has been suggested. Make time for prayer throughout the week, but make an effort in your studies and explicitly offer this to God. And when the exam is finished hurry to the Church to give thanks for His presence in your studies.

God bless you

Father Peter

user00

Personally, if I were you, I would not be able to concentrate taking the exam during this time. While my body might be in school, my mind would be in Church and I think this might affect my performance on the exam. I have no doubt that if you explain the circumstances, you'll get a make-up (maybe you can take it before good friday instead of after). You have to decide for yourself how it is for you.

What all have said thus far is valid; but for me personally, there is no way I would be able to concentrate.

Pray and do what's right for you.

Unknown

[quote author=user00 link=topic=7819.msg101700#msg101700 date=1239293445]
Personally, if I were you, I would not be able to concentrate taking the exam during this time. While my body might be in school, my mind would be in Church and I think this might affect my performance on the exam. I have no doubt that if you explain the circumstances, you'll get a make-up (maybe you can take it before good friday instead of after). You have to decide for yourself how it is for you.

What all have said thus far is valid; but for me personally, there is no way I would be able to concentrate.

Pray and do what's right for you.


No, don't say that. Egyboy, you should listen to minagir.. go to school, take your exam (focus on it) then go to church later on. Although Good Friday is an important day in the Coptic Church, you would be receiving the SAME baraka as if you were actually in church (even though your taking the exam). This reminds me of the time my family was driving to the Baramous dare. We spent more than 4 hours on the road, just trying to get there on time for odas, and we were fasting, because we were planning on taking communion, but we arrived right before communion.. anyway one the monks told us that even though we weren't actually IN church, we received the same blessing as one that was in liturgy from the beginning (so we were able to take communion  ;D). So I would advise you to take the exam (still fast) and go straight to church after your done. God know's your true intentions behind this, and this isn't something you can control... plus your only losing 2 hours.. Good Friday lasts until 6! Oh and I think 10:00 is around 3rd hour.. lesa badry  ;)

Peace.

egyboy

Thanks for all of your advice!! I think i will just try to study as hard as I can while still making time for Church and prayer during Holy Week.  I will take the exam on Good Friday and go to Church right after!!! Thanks again.

Please pray for me and my weaknesses!!
and for my exam!!!