A SPECIAL TIME TO VISIT OUR HEARTS

Thursday in the 1st Week of Lent
Mt 7:7-12

Jesus had no formal education. He never enrolled in a rabbinic school that could have trained Him for a preaching career. He did not defend a dissertation for a masteral or doctoral degree. Yet His wisdom surpassed that of His contemporaries. Where did He get what He taught? Only one word immediately comes to mind: experience.

Jesus taught not from the books but from experience. He knew what He taught very well not because He read about them in a very well written study but because He experienced them Himself.

Jesus said, “Ask and it will be given you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For anyone who asks always receives; anyone who seeks always finds; and to anyone who knocks the door will always be opened.” Where did He learn this kind of logic? From His experience of His very own Father who is God Himself.

Do we not have a saying that says, “Experience is the best teacher”? Then, it follows that the best lessons are the lessons drawn out from experience.

Jesus had no diploma hanging in His room. He had not titles before His name to designate a profession. He had no abbreviations of any degree to write after His name. He was simply Jesus. We recognize Him though as “The Christ”.

Next time we try to teach someone about God, let us not go to the library to do a research. Let us go deep into our hearts to reflect on our personal relationship with Him. Lent is a special time to do that.