There’s a quiet but profound difference between knowing about God and knowing God. Many of us grow up hearing stories, studying Scripture, and learning theology — and these are all good and necessary. They help our minds understand who God is. But to know God personally is something deeper: it’s not only information, but relationship — a living encounter with the One who loves us.
When we know about God, we may understand His attributes — that He is almighty, merciful, and eternal. We might even defend the faith with reason and knowledge. But when we truly know God, our hearts begin to change. We sense His presence in our joys and sorrows, we speak to Him in prayer, and we recognize His voice in the quiet moments of our day. It becomes less about facts, and more about friendship.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus says, “This is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (John 17:3). Notice that He doesn’t say “know about You.” Eternal life is not a theory — it’s a relationship with the living God. It is love experienced and returned. The saints often remind us that faith begins in the mind but matures in the heart, where we learn to trust, surrender, and walk daily with Him.
What this means for us is simple, yet life-changing: God doesn’t just want our study — He wants our hearts. Reading the Bible, attending Mass, and learning doctrine are ways of opening the door. But the real transformation happens when we let Him enter, when we speak honestly to Him and allow His love to shape who we are. That is when knowledge becomes communion.
May we never settle for knowing about God from a distance. Let us open our hearts to truly know Him — as Father, Savior, and Friend — who longs to walk beside us every day.
— Fr. John Matthew, for Christian Way
