Knowledge versus Knowing

Knowledge versus knowing.

Often I find myself caught up in learning all about my faith. I aim to rack up my spiritual know-how rather than spending time on working to know God better. I worry about how many Rosaries I’m praying, how many spiritual books I’ve read this year, and if I know the Catechism well enough. All these things are wonderful and can bring truth and grace into our lives but only if our true aim is seeking to Know our Lord.

I must move out of knowing things to add to my knowledge for my sake and instead seek them for how they bring me closer to knowing our Creator. Rather than mark off things on my “how to be holy” checklist, I need to strive to never lose sight of the greatest reason. What a beautiful gift it is that Christ came to earth to have that human relationship with us. With US. Think about that.

In the First Reading today, the prophet Isaiah gives us a glimpse of what it will look like when the earth is “full of the knowledge of the Lord.” Wolves and lambs hanging out together and a small child leading a lion around? This might sound crazy to us in the sinful world we live in, but in this Utopia where the earth truly knows the Lord, this is the norm.

Full knowledge of God is absolute perfection. To see Him in His true essence, in His fullness, where rote laws and motions become so much more than only that.

In his comparison, Isaiah remarks “as the waters cover the sea.” But how could they not? Of course they would! Without the waters, the sea is meaningless. It is the same with our faith. Without the true fulfilling knowledge of the Lord, our faith can also risk becoming meaningless.

We are given this knowledge as a gift of the Holy Spirit. It gives meaning and weight to our spiritual actions. Our faith will come more and more alive as we seek to know Him Who is the Why for what we do.

Just as a good friendship, marriage, or any relationship requires time, commitment, and open communication, so truly knowing Jesus asks these things of us. The question is, how important is it to you? It’s so easy to get wrapped up in the knowledge of the brain and forget about the knowledge of the heart and the soul.

So today, don’t get caught up with how much you know about Jesus and focus more on truly getting to know Him. God sent His Son to earth to build a relationship with you. What are you doing to cultivate that relationship on your end?

Sarah Ortiz is a Catholic convert, and when not folding laundry, she can be found reading, experimenting in the kitchen, or writing at her blog. You can find out more about her here.