Bless Me, Ultima (pages 217 to the End)

What does Antonio say that he learned from his mother, his father and Ultima, about the magical beauty of the earth? What realization does he come to about himself as a result of this?

Antonio learns from his father that sometimes you must sacrifice your dreams because things are constantly changing around you and lifestyles change even if you do not fully understand why. He learns to appreciate the beauty that the earth has to offer from his mother and her brothers. As the crops grow so does Antonio. While he is with the Luna's Antonio begins to finally see the beauty of the earth symbolizing that he is finally starting to understand. While with the Luna's he comes to terms with what is happening in his life. Lastly with Ultimate he learns that he should grow strong from experience rather than let it crumble him.

How does Antonio’s father explain to him how a man acquires understanding? How does he relate this to Ultima’s magic?

Antonio is curious on why there is evil in the world, he decides to get answers from his father because he holds a lot of knowledge. His father Gabriel tells him that people call things they do not comprehend as "evil". He goes into detail how in order to understand you must experience life. Gabriel refers to the first communion and illustrates that knowledge is something you cannot simply swallow like the host at a Communion. In regards to Ultima's Magic, he believes that it comes from the numerous years she has worked besides the sick and this caused an understanding.