Home > Op-ed | To bottom

Seedbed

“And some seeds fell in good soil, the plants bore grain,
one hundred grains each.” — Luke 8:8

Parable of the sower

As classes start this School Year 2005-2006, it would be good to reflect on the role of educational institutions in nation building. I would like to view educational institutions as seedbeds of a transformed Filipino nation. One of the parables of Jesus concerning the Kingdom of God is the Parable of the Sower (Luke 8:4-8). According to the story, there was a man, presumably a farmer, who went out into the fields to scatter seeds. Some of those seeds that fell on good soil grew and yielded much fruit, while those that fell on thorny and rocky grounds yielded nothing at all.

I would like to borrow this imagery from the Parable of Jesus, and try to expand it a little bit to picture to us what I think educational institutions should be. I would like to compare educational institutions to a soil or a ground that could be transformed into a seedbed, on which we scatter seeds. Then, later on these seeds would grow into seedlings; and then these seedlings would be transplanted from the seedbed into the rice fields. This image is quite significant since rains are coming and farmers are now beginning to prepare seedbeds for the planting season.

Using this imagery, I would like to understand educational institutions as seedbeds for the emergence and development of a transformed Filipino nation. Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ, not because he simply followed the rituals and ceremonies of the Jewish religion. He is the Christ not because he collaborated with the status quo and followed what was fashionable in his time. He is the Christ not because he simply did what others were doing and conformed to the ways of this world.

Jesus is the Christ, because he became the seed as well as the seedbed of a new humanity, of a new way of life, of a new creation. This is the image and the symbol that I would like to suggest as the primary and central vocation of educational institutions in our country today. But then, we may ask, what does it mean to be a seedbed for a transformed Filipino nation?

New manifestations of freedom

First of all, to be a seedbed for a transformed Filipino nation is to bring about new manifestations of freedom. As we all know, seedbeds grow seeds, not old plants. They imply fresh growth, not old ones. They symbolize a resolute look into the future, not holding on to the past. Seedbeds need fresh water, not stagnant ones. They symbolize, therefore, the constant flow of new and vigorous ideas, not merely repetitions of old ones. They imply a fresh look at the past, a critical look at the present, and a vigorous and daring look at the future.

To be a seedbed of a transformed Filipino nation would mean, therefore, that in our educational institutions the whole gamut of the nation’s past is brought forward, not for the sake of imitating it; but for the sake of releasing its power to bring about a new manifestation, a new incarnation of freedom in the soil of Philippine life and history. It would mean that in our educational institutions the ideas, the aspirations and the culture of what a Filipino nation might be, are planted, explored, developed, and given the freedom to grow.

Seeds, as we know are not manufactured. They grow on their own, within a soil that encourages, supports, and nourish their growth. Our educational institutions as seedbeds should therefore serve as a repository of the best there is in Philippine culture and history. Our educational institutions should serve as a breeding place of new cultural expressions, and new historical manifestations of what it means to be a Filipino.

Loving our country and people

Moreover, to be a seedbed for a transformed Filipino nation is to equip men and women who will truly love and serve our country and people as expressions of their love for the Almighty God. I would like to believe that students should equip themselves to love and serve God by loving and serving their country and people the best that they could.

Our country is in crisis; not only economically and politically, but also morally and spiritually. Our people, especially our leaders, seem to have lost their sense of what is right and what is wrong. We claim to be the only Christian nation in Asia, yet we are one among the most corrupt. We have so many churches around us and our people seem to be very religious, yet our country is the most dangerous place for journalists to live in, even more dangerous than Iraq!

Who, then, will bring the seeds of renewal in our land? If we Filipinos ourselves would not love and serve our own country and people; then who will do it?

Visionaries, not only functionaries

Finally, to be a seedbed for a transformed nation is to prepare men and women, not only to be functionaries of multi-national corporations, but visionaries of our nation’s life and future. The Book of Proverbs is right when it says, “Without vision, the people will perish”(Prov. 29:18); but it is also equally true that without people who would carry out the vision, such a vision will also perish.

The late Sen. Jose W. Diokno left us a dream that every Filipino should take part for its realization:

“Let us build a nation that our children deserve; a nation we can be proud of, because no man, woman, or child is forced into prostitution in order to eat or to go to school; a free nation, where each citizen offers his or her skills and intelligence for the betterment and advancement of the people; a noble nation, because state power is harnessed not for the few but for all, and because civilian, not military rule, prevails; a sovereign nation that rejects foreign intervention; a nation that thinks and decides for itself; a just nation, where there is no poverty, ignorance, and hunger; where the peasant owns the land he tills; where the worker keeps a decent job with equitable wages; and where the family is not threatened by demolition of or eviction from their homes; a peaceful nation.”

Indeed, blessed are those who dream dreams, and are willing to pay the price to make their dreams come true. #

Home > Op-ed | Back to top