Through Education Our Motherland Receives Light

Through Education Our Motherland Receives Light

The vital breath of prudent Education
Instills a virtue of enchanting power;
She lifts the motherland to highest station
And endless dazzling glories on her shower.
And as the zephyr's gentle exhalation
Revives the matrix of the fragrant flower,
So education multiplies her gifts of grace;
With prudent hand imparts them to the human race.

For her a mortal-man will gladly part
With all he has; will give his calm repose;
For her are born all science and all art,
That brows of men with laurel fair enclose.
As from the towering mountain's lofty heart
The purest current of the streamlet flows,
So education without stint or measure gives
Security and peace to lands in which she lives.

Where Education reigns on lofty seat
Youth blossoms forth with vigor and agility;
He error subjugates with solid feet,
And is exalted by conceptions of nobility.
She breaks the neck of vice and its deceit;
Black crime turns pale at Her hostility;
The barbarous nations She knows how to tame,
From savages creates heroic fame.

And as the spring doth sustenance bestow
On all the plants, on bushes in the mead,
Its placid plenty goes to overflow
And endlessly with lavish love to feed
The banks by which it wanders, gliding slow,
Supplying beauteous nature's every need;
So he who prudent Education doth procure
The towering heights of honor will secure.

From out his lips the water, crystal pure,
Of perfect virtue shall not cease to go.
With careful doctrines of his faith made sure,
The powers of evil he will overthrow,
Like foaming waves that never long endure,
But perish on the shore at every blow;
And from his good example other men shall learn
Their upward steps toward the heavenly paths to turn.

Within the breast of wretched humankind
She lights the living flame of goodness bright;
The hands of fiercest criminal doth bind;
And in those breasts will surely pour delight
Which seek her mystic benefits to find,
Those souls She sets aflame with love of right.
It is a noble fully-rounded Education
That gives to life its surest consolation.

And as the mighty rock aloft may tower
Above the center of the stormy deep
In scorn of storm, or fierce Sou'wester's power,
Or fury of the waves that raging seep,
Until, their first mad hatred spent, they cower,
And, tired at last, subside and fall asleep, --
So he that takes wise Education by the hand,
Invincible shall guide the reigns of motherland.

On sapphires shall his service be engraved,
A thousand honors to him by his land be granted:
For in their bosoms will his noble sons have saved
Luxuriant flowers his virtue had transplanted:
And by the love of goodness ever lived,
The lords and governors will see implanted
To endless days, the Christian Education,
Within their noble, faith-enrapture nation.

And as in early morning we behold
The ruby sun pour forth resplendent rays;
And lovely dawn her scarlet and her gold,
Her brilliant colors all about her sprays;
So skillful noble Teaching doth unfold
To living minds the joy of virtuous ways.
She offers our dear motherland the light
That leads us to immortal glory's height.

Philosophy of Rizal

Reflection Activity:

1. In your own understanding, what is education for Dr. Jose Rizal?
2. Is Rizal a religious man? Why do you think so?

Education is the only mechanism that elevates the country to the highest level of glory. It is only education that liberates the mind from the bondage of ignorance, and it is the free mind that liberates the country from the dominion of others. Rizal wanted the Filipinos to be educated because he found education as the only answer to subjugation.

3. Rizal believed that education is the only way for a country to regain freedom. He died more than 100 years ago. Do you think his belief was correct?

4. We have corrupt government officials who are also products of the known universities of the country. Do you think our schools fail to do their mission of producing good men and women? What do you think?

Religion is taken from the Latin word, "religare" meaning connection. Our common understanding is, it is community of believers which members are bound by dogmas.

5. What is your own philosophy of religion?

6. Mahatma Gandhi said, "I like Christianism but I don't like the Christian." Comment on this.

The Philippines during the time of Rizal was a political domain of Spain. Unfortunately, the Philippines had no representative to the Spanish Cortes. The distance of both countries allowed the Spaniards to inflict into the Filipinos whatever they wanted. Rizal only wanted reforms particularly from Spanish leaders and uneducated Filipinos to be more responsible by way of education. So Rizal was a reformist rather than a revolutionist.


7. In your own words, describe the plight or unfortunate situation of the Filipinos under the abusive Spaniards.

8.What is your political philosophy?

Ethics is a branch of philosophy that studies human behavior. It determines human actions whether correct or incorrect, or right or wrong. It also includes morality of human actions.

9. What do you think would Rizal say to the Filipino women who married to foreigners for financial reasons?

10. What do you think Rizal's advice to parents who are experiencing problems in disciplining their children?

11. Rizal would like to preserve familial bonding as ethical pattern of the Filipinos. Is he right in advocating this? Why?

12. Do you think familial bonding during Rizal's time is still the same today?



Reference:
Tabotabo, Claudio V. and Roman D. Leano Jr. 2009. Jose Rizal: A Hero's Life. Philippines, Mindshapers.