What is the Ginosko/Yada that you could give me?

(Excerpt from the Homily of Most Rev. Romulo G. Valles, D.D., Archbishop of Davao during the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time Mass at San Pedro Cathedral last August 23, 2026.)

In the past weeks we heard that the kingdom of God is like this, the great sower, the mustard seed, unsa pa, pearl of great prize, treasure buried in the field, unya feed of five thousand wow, storm in the sea of Galilee, si Peter, don’t be afraid, it is I but padulong sa very important sumada one long chapter. Today is a concluding ba sa whole formation of faith. Why? Because of what is proclaimed of the Gospel today.

Before I go on, let’s go to the second reading, talagsa ra kaayo ni mosibo and this is one of the rare times from the Romans. Letter of St. Paul to the Romans, mubo but I beg you stay with me. O, the depth of the richest and wisdom and knowledge of God, o how kalawom, ang kalawom sa richest bahandi, wisdom and knowledge of God. Notice wisdom and knowledge are two separate terms iya sa Diyos. How inscrutable, di nimo makuha, di nimo ma figure out are His judgments. Ingon palangga ko sa Ginoo, na stroke man lagi ko? Ingon palangga ko sa Ginoo, utangan man lagi ko? Tigsimba how inscrutable are His judgment and how unsearchable His ways. Unsa may style sa Ginoo? Who has known the mind of God or who has been His counselor? Kinsa kayay adviser niya or who was given the Lord anything that He may be repaid? We cannot repay, we cannot, unreachable for from Him, and through Him and for Him are all things to Him be glory forever, Amen.

Pause sideline, Nars Fernardez, her songs, in one way or another, help us to get in touch with that God who lisod but Nars with her talent has helped us, Adlaw Gabii, nangandoy kita Kaniya sa second reading.

Now, sa Gospel Reading after we heard last week, pearl of great prize, now Jesus asked His disciples, not the crowd, His disciples, kamo, kita, ako, kita, mga choir, tigsimbahay, kita mga inner circle man ta. Who do people say that the Son of Man is? Then kita ug disciples, answered, they replied, John the Baptist, other Elijah, still other Jeremiah or one of the prophets. Notice the answer, murag moingon sila, murag si kuan, murag sa impeachment pa hearsay, unsa may imong tubag? Akong nadungog sa Tiktok, akong nadungog sa wali ni Archbishop. He said to them but who do you say that I am? Ang strong implication knowing sa mga tawo, sulti nila, unsay know ninyo sa Ako? Ang manuscript sa Gospel original ang extract, Greek ginosko, probably sa Hebrew yada, know, right away that idea in the Bible, not in school but in the Bible, during their time, that time of Jesus, dapat jud dili i-impose, when we talk about knowing who do you say, ginosko and yada means actual experience, personal knowledge. Unsa may ginosko, yada that you can give me?

Remember, the question was asked to them the inner circle, sa mga hinimbao, kita. Only one answered, Simon the Son of Jonah. My dear friends, if you scan the New Testament, there were twelve apostles, but again and again you notice the way the Gospels are written, it is a way, it is Peter who is bida kanunay and sometimes, Peter, James and John but always Peter. Later on, we would discover primus inter pares the first among equals. That’s why there is a guy in Rome, the successor of Peter, because twelve sila but it seems in the beginning there’s one of them who would supply the answer, attempt the answer.