The 14th

Students do not learn alone from formal education which takes place in school premises. They may learn also some basic, academic or trade skills outside the school premises. This means there is no monopoly of knowledge by the school and no one can put a limit in one’s learning by confining everything in the school.

In terms of our knowledge of God, one may learn about Him by reading the Bible or listening to a pastor’s or priest’s teaching. But this is not the only way to know God. Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew 11:25-30, said that there are things hidden from the wise and the learned but have been revealed to the child-like. Jesus was saying that people who have no chance to read the Bible or have not been visited by a priest or pastor can still know God through their experience.

Experience can teach people well to believe in God. In fact, experience of God is the best teacher. One may observe, most Filipinos are fond of saying, “bahala na” whenever they face some difficulties in life. “Bahala na” puts in words their experience of God. It is originally constructed as “Bathala na” which means God will now take charge of everything. Even those who do not read the Bible say these, “bahala na.” They know God from their experience. How can this be possible? Well, Jesus said, “No one knows the Father except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.” So, it is part of God’s mysterious ways to know Him through one’s experience. When Jesus finally said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest”, these words exactly capture one’s experience of “bahala na (ang Diyos)”. This is an invitation to entrust everything to God. One does not need to be a Bible expert to do this. He/she will learn to entrust everything to God and it is his/her experience that will bring him/her there. Moreover, in entrusting everything to God, Jesus clearly said that He will give rest to that person who abandons himself/herself to God. Jesus did not say He will solve the problems of that person. When one finds rest in God, he/she is re-energized and can better face difficulties with a renewed strength from God. Moreover, when Jesus said His yoke is easy and burden is light, this is an invitation for anybody to learn from Him. When Jesus entrusted Himself to God His Father, even it means He had to face death on the cross, He did it all with love. It is just like saying, “Bahala na” (ang Diyos) sa mangyayari sa akin, ang mahalaga ay maipamalas ko na mahal ko Siya.

To end, one’s knowledge of God whether he/she acquired it from the Bible or it is infused in him/her through his/her experience, will lead him/her to love God better. In good times and in bad, his/her love for God matters the most. He/she finds rest in loving God. Amen.