Memorial of Saint Catherine of Siena, Virgin and Doctor of the
Church
Lectionary: 268
Lectionary: 268
The community of
believers was of one heart and mind,
and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own,
but they had everything in common.
With great power the Apostles bore witness
to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus,
and great favor was accorded them all.
There was no needy person among them,
for those who owned property or houses would sell them,
bring the proceeds of the sale,
and put them at the feet of the Apostles,
and they were distributed to each according to need.
Thus Joseph, also named by the Apostles Barnabas
(which is translated “son of encouragement”),
a Levite, a Cypriot by birth,
sold a piece of property that he owned,
then brought the money and put it at the feet of the Apostles.
and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own,
but they had everything in common.
With great power the Apostles bore witness
to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus,
and great favor was accorded them all.
There was no needy person among them,
for those who owned property or houses would sell them,
bring the proceeds of the sale,
and put them at the feet of the Apostles,
and they were distributed to each according to need.
Thus Joseph, also named by the Apostles Barnabas
(which is translated “son of encouragement”),
a Levite, a Cypriot by birth,
sold a piece of property that he owned,
then brought the money and put it at the feet of the Apostles.
Responsorial Psalm PS 93:1AB, 1CD-2, 5
R. (1a) The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD is king, in splendor robed;
robed is the LORD and girt about with strength.
R. The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
or:
R. Alleluia.
And he has made the world firm,
not to be moved.
Your throne stands firm from of old;
from everlasting you are, O LORD.
R. The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Your decrees are worthy of trust indeed:
holiness befits your house,
O LORD, for length of days.
R. The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
or:
R. Alleluia.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD is king, in splendor robed;
robed is the LORD and girt about with strength.
R. The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
or:
R. Alleluia.
And he has made the world firm,
not to be moved.
Your throne stands firm from of old;
from everlasting you are, O LORD.
R. The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Your decrees are worthy of trust indeed:
holiness befits your house,
O LORD, for length of days.
R. The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Gospel JN 3:7B-15
Jesus said to
Nicodemus:
“‘You must be born from above.’
The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes,
but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes;
so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Nicodemus answered and said to him,
‘How can this happen?”
Jesus answered and said to him,
“You are the teacher of Israel and you do not understand this?
Amen, amen, I say to you,
we speak of what we know and we testify to what we have seen,
but you people do not accept our testimony.
If I tell you about earthly things and you do not believe,
how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?
No one has gone up to heaven
except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man.
And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,
so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”
“‘You must be born from above.’
The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes,
but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes;
so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Nicodemus answered and said to him,
‘How can this happen?”
Jesus answered and said to him,
“You are the teacher of Israel and you do not understand this?
Amen, amen, I say to you,
we speak of what we know and we testify to what we have seen,
but you people do not accept our testimony.
If I tell you about earthly things and you do not believe,
how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?
No one has gone up to heaven
except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man.
And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,
so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”
Meditation: "You must be born
anew"
Do you know the healing power and victory of the
cross of Jesus Christ? Jesus spoke to Nicodemus of a "new birth in
the Spirit" which would come about through the victory he would
accomplish through his death and rising. The Hebrew word for "spirit"
means both "wind" and "breath". Jesus explained to
Nicodemus: You can hear, feel, and see the effects of the wind, but you do not
know where it comes from. In like manner, you can see the effects of the Holy
Spirit in the lives of those whom the Spirit touches with the peace, joy, and
signs of God's power and love at work in them.
The "lifting up" of the Son of Man
Jesus explained to Nicodemus that the "Son of Man" must be "lifted up" to bring the power and authority of God's kingdom to bear on the earth. The title, "Son of Man," came from the prophet Daniel who describes a vision he received of the Annointed Messiah King who was sent from heaven to rule over the earth (Daniel 7:13-14). Traditionally when kings began to reign they were literally "lifted up" and enthroned above the people. Jesus explains to Nicodemus that he will be recognized as the Messiah King when he is "lifted up" on the cross at Calvary. Jesus died for his claim to be the Messiah King sent by the Father to redeem, heal, and reconcile his people with God.
Jesus explained to Nicodemus that the "Son of Man" must be "lifted up" to bring the power and authority of God's kingdom to bear on the earth. The title, "Son of Man," came from the prophet Daniel who describes a vision he received of the Annointed Messiah King who was sent from heaven to rule over the earth (Daniel 7:13-14). Traditionally when kings began to reign they were literally "lifted up" and enthroned above the people. Jesus explains to Nicodemus that he will be recognized as the Messiah King when he is "lifted up" on the cross at Calvary. Jesus died for his claim to be the Messiah King sent by the Father to redeem, heal, and reconcile his people with God.
Jesus points to a key prophetic sign which Moses
performed in the wilderness right after the people of Israel were afflicted
with poisonous serpents. Scripture tells us that many people died in the
wilderness because of their sin of rebellion towards Moses and God. Through
Moses' intervention, God showed mercy to the people and instructed Moses to "make
a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and every one who is bitten, when he
sees it, shall live"(Numbers 21:8). This miraculous sign was meant to
foreshadow and point to the saving work which Jesus would perform to bring
healing and salvation to the world.
Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD), an early
church father, explains the spiritual meaning of the bronze serpent and how it
points to the saving work of Jesus Christ:
"This story is a type
of the whole mystery of the incarnation. For the serpent signifies bitter and
deadly sin, which was devouring the whole race on the earth... biting the Soul
of man and infusing it with the venom of wickedness. And there is no way that
we could have escaped being conquered by it, except by the relief that comes
only from heaven. The Word of God then was made in the likeness of sinful
flesh, 'that he might condemn sin in the flesh' [Romans 8:3], as it is written.
In this way, he becomes the Giver of unending salvation to those who comprehend
the divine doctrines and gaze on him with steadfast faith. But the serpent,
being fixed upon a lofty base, signifies that Christ was clearly manifested by
his passion on the cross, so that none could fail to see him." (COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 2.1)
New birth
in the Spirit
The bronze serpent which Moses lifted up in the wilderness points to the cross of Christ which defeats sin and death and obtains everlasting life for those who believe in Jesus Christ. The result of Jesus "being lifted up on the cross" and his rising from the dead, and his exaltation and ascension to the Father's right hand in heaven, is our "new birth in the Spirit" and adoption as sons and daughters of God. God not only frees us from our sins and pardons us, he also fills us with his own divine life through the gift and working of his Spirit who dwells within us.
The bronze serpent which Moses lifted up in the wilderness points to the cross of Christ which defeats sin and death and obtains everlasting life for those who believe in Jesus Christ. The result of Jesus "being lifted up on the cross" and his rising from the dead, and his exaltation and ascension to the Father's right hand in heaven, is our "new birth in the Spirit" and adoption as sons and daughters of God. God not only frees us from our sins and pardons us, he also fills us with his own divine life through the gift and working of his Spirit who dwells within us.
The Holy Spirit gives us spiritual power and
gifts, especially the seven-fold gifts of wisdom and understanding, right
judgment and courage, knowledge and reverence for God and his ways, and a holy fear
in God's presence (see Isaiah 11), to enable us to live in his strength as sons
and daughters of God. Do you thirst for the new life which God
offers you through the transforming power of his Holy Spirit?
"Lord Jesus Christ, your death brought life
for us. Fill me with your Holy Spirit that I may walk in freedom and joy in the
knowledge of your great victory over sin and death."
 Born of the Spirit |
Memorial of Saint Catherine of Siena, virgin and doctor of
the Church
|
John
3:7b-15
Jesus
said to Nicodemus: “‘You must be born from above.’ The wind blows where it wills,
and you can hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from
or where it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Nicodemus answered and said to him, “How can this happen?” Jesus answered and
said to him, “You are the teacher of Israel and you do not understand this?
Amen, amen, I say to you, we speak of what we know and we testify to what we
have seen, but you people do not accept our testimony. If I tell you about
earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you
about heavenly things? No one has gone up to heaven except the one who has
come down from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the
serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone
who believes in him may have eternal life.”
Introductory Prayer: Lord, you know my needs better
than I do. I turn to your Spirit to teach me what to ask for in this prayer.
I want to fulfill your holy will over my life. I love you, Lord, and I place
all my hope in you.
Petition: Lord, increase my faith!
1. You Are the Teacher of Israel: Nicodemus was one of
the leading teachers, yet here he tries to make a quiet request for
information from Jesus. As a religious teacher he was well versed in the
rules and regulations, but there was still a gap in his knowledge. He didn’t
know about the Holy Spirit and the new existence that we receive by being
born of “water and the spirit.” In a way, he can’t be blamed, since Jesus had
not yet revealed it, but it just goes to show us how fundamental spiritual
knowledge is in order to be a credible spiritual leader. As committed
Catholics, we need to lead others to deeper faith. But will we do so to the
degree that we know the faith and are living it in our hearts?
2. Being Born of the Spirit: Are we practical
materialists? At times we become so enmeshed in the reality of daily life
that we don’t give the slightest thought to the spiritual world, which is
infinitely greater than the material one that consumes all our attention.
Through our baptism, we are marked out for heavenly things. We bear on our
soul the indelible mark that proclaims to the universe that we are children
of God. Every time we take a spiritual breath, and glance heavenwards, we
renew that birth in the Spirit through which the Lord claimed us as his own.
Let us never spend more than a minute as practical materialists!
3. Giving Testimony: Jesus speaks here
about giving testimony. He wants us to be his witnesses as well. He wants us
to continue to proclaim to the world the reality of the “heavenly things”
that he revealed. Possibly the greatest testimony we can give is the
happiness and charity of our lives. Joyful, charitable Catholics carry in
their very demeanor the sign that their faith is authentic. Before you get angry,
upset, or critical, ask yourself, “Is this the testimony of a life filled
with the Holy Spirit?”
Conversation with Christ: Lord, thank you for
the gift of the Holy Spirit in my life. At times, I don’t always live in
accord with the great blessing you have given me, but I know that your
patience and mercy always give me another chance. Help me to love others and
give them a glimpse of heaven through my charity.
Resolution: In my conversation today, I will try to say
something that will plant a spiritual seed in others.
|
EASTER WEEKDAY, TUESDAY,
APRIL 29, JOHN 3:7b-15
(Acts 4:32-37; Psalm 93)
(Acts 4:32-37; Psalm 93)
KEY VERSE: "Do not be amazed that I told you, `You must be born from above'" (v 7).
READING: Nicodemus was a respected teacher in the Jewish community (v 10), but without the grace of the Spirit given in Baptism, he failed to fathom the mystery of spiritual rebirth. Jesus compared the dynamics of the Spirit with the mysterious movement of the wind. In both Hebrew and Greek, there is one word for both "wind" and "spirit" (Hebrew, ruah, Greek, pneuma). One can observe the effects of the wind without knowing its origin or destination. Likewise, although one can see the result of grace within an individual, no one is fully able to comprehend the action of the Spirit. Jesus was the authentic witness of these "heavenly things" that would be fully known when he was exalted on the cross (Jn 19:30).
REFLECTING: How can I help someone to be open to the Spirit in his or her life?
PRAYING: Risen Lord, breath your life into me.
Memorial of Catherine of Siena, virgin and doctor of the Church
At the age of six, Catherine of Siena had a vision in which Jesus appeared and blessed her. Her parents wanted her to marry, but she resisted and became a Dominican tertiary. Catherine was a mystic and a stigmatist (a person bearing marks resembling the wounds of Christ). In a vision, she was united in a mystical marriage with Christ, and the Infant Christ presented her with a wedding ring. Catherine was a counselor to Pope Gregory XI and Pope Urban VI. She helped bring peace to her native Sienna, to Italy, and to 14th century Europe. She spent all her energies for the Church, and through her efforts was able to achieve the Pope's return from Avignon to Rome. She was proclaimed Doctor of the Church on 4 October 1970.
Eternal Trinity, Godhead, mystery deep as the sea, you could give me no greater gift than the gift of yourself. For you are a fire ever burning and never consumed, which itself consumes all the selfish love that fills my being. Yes, you are a fire that takes away the coldness, illuminates the mind with its light, and causes me to know your truth. And I know that you are beauty and wisdom itself. The food of angels, you gave yourself to man in the fire of your love."
St. Catherine of Siena, On Divine Providence.
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
Part of the Plan
God has a plan for us that we may not understand at the moment. As
the day unfolds, however, we often come to see clearly His amazing grace. He
tends to lead us on the paths we may never have journeyed on our own.
The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty
‘The Son of Man must be lifted up.’Not wishing to jeopardise his reputation, Nicodemus approaches Jesus, ‘the light of the world’ (John 8:12), under the cover of darkness. Nicodemus’ two subsequent appearances in John’s Gospel (defending Jesus before the Sanhedrin and assisting at his burial) indicate that what begins with a conversation ends with a conversion. Jesus tells Nicodemus that, imbued with the Spirit of God, he needs to make a fresh start. He must bear witness to the truth that Jesus proclaims and is, if he is to enjoy fullness of life here and hereafter. In our lives too we need to attend to the movements of the Spirit ‘who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine’ (Ephesians 3:20).
April
29
St. Catherine of Siena
(1347-1380)
St. Catherine of Siena
(1347-1380)
The value Catherine makes central in her short life and which
sounds clearly and consistently through her experience is complete surrender to
Christ. What is most impressive about her is that she learns to view her
surrender to her Lord as a goal to be reached through time.
She was
the 23rd child of Jacopo and Lapa Benincasa and grew up as an intelligent,
cheerful and intensely religious person. Catherine disappointed her mother by
cutting off her hair as a protest against being overly encouraged to improve
her appearance in order to attract a husband. Her father ordered her to be left
in peace, and she was given a room of her own for prayer and meditation.
She
entered the Dominican Third Order at 18 and spent the next three years in
seclusion, prayer and austerity. Gradually a group of followers gathered around
her—men and women, priests and religious. An active public apostolate grew out
of her contemplative life. Her letters, mostly for spiritual instruction and
encouragement of her followers, began to take more and more note of public
affairs. Opposition and slander resulted from her mixing fearlessly with the
world and speaking with the candor and authority of one completely committed to
Christ. She was cleared of all charges at the Dominican General Chapter of
1374.
Her
public influence reached great heights because of her evident holiness, her
membership in the Dominican Third Order, and the deep impression she made on
the pope. She worked tirelessly for the crusade against the Turks and for peace
between Florence and the pope
In 1378,
the Great Schism began, splitting the allegiance of Christendom between two,
then three, popes and putting even saints on opposing sides. Catherine spent
the last two years of her life in Rome, in prayer and pleading on behalf of the
cause of Urban VI and the unity of the Church. She offered herself as a victim
for the Church in its agony. She died surrounded by her "children"
and was canonized in 1461.
Catherine
ranks high among the mystics and spiritual writers of the Church. In 1939, she
and Francis of Assisi were declared co-patrons of Italy. Paul VI named her and
Teresa of Avila doctors of the Church in 1970. Her spiritual testament is found
in The Dialogue.
Comment:
Though she lived her life in a faith experience and spirituality far different from that of our own time, Catherine of Siena stands as a companion with us on the Christian journey in her undivided effort to invite the Lord to take flesh in her own life. Events which might make us wince or chuckle or even yawn fill her biographies: a mystical experience at six, childhood betrothal to Christ, stories of harsh asceticism, her frequent ecstatic visions. Still, Catherine lived in an age which did not know the rapid change of 21st-century mobile America. The value of her life for us today lies in her recognition of holiness as a goal to be sought over the course of a lifetime.
Though she lived her life in a faith experience and spirituality far different from that of our own time, Catherine of Siena stands as a companion with us on the Christian journey in her undivided effort to invite the Lord to take flesh in her own life. Events which might make us wince or chuckle or even yawn fill her biographies: a mystical experience at six, childhood betrothal to Christ, stories of harsh asceticism, her frequent ecstatic visions. Still, Catherine lived in an age which did not know the rapid change of 21st-century mobile America. The value of her life for us today lies in her recognition of holiness as a goal to be sought over the course of a lifetime.
Quote:
Catherine's book Dialogue contains four treatises—her testament of faith to the spiritual world. She wrote: "No one should judge that he has greater perfection because he performs great penances and gives himself in excess to the staying of the body than he who does less, inasmuch as neither virtue nor merit consists therein; for otherwise he would be an evil case, who for some legitimate reason was unable to do actual penance. Merit consists in the virtue of love alone, flavored with the light of true discretion without which the soul is worth nothing."
Catherine's book Dialogue contains four treatises—her testament of faith to the spiritual world. She wrote: "No one should judge that he has greater perfection because he performs great penances and gives himself in excess to the staying of the body than he who does less, inasmuch as neither virtue nor merit consists therein; for otherwise he would be an evil case, who for some legitimate reason was unable to do actual penance. Merit consists in the virtue of love alone, flavored with the light of true discretion without which the soul is worth nothing."
Patron Saint of:
Europe
Italy
Europe
Italy
LECTIO DIVINA:
JOHN 3,7B-15
Lectio:
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Easter Time
1) Opening prayer
All praise and thanks be to you,
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
You have given us your risen Son
to be alive in our communities.
Make us see him with eyes of faith,
that he may unite us, heart and soul.
May his dynamic presence among us
move us to become with him,
each other's bread of life,
that no one among us may hunger
for food or help when in need.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
You have given us your risen Son
to be alive in our communities.
Make us see him with eyes of faith,
that he may unite us, heart and soul.
May his dynamic presence among us
move us to become with him,
each other's bread of life,
that no one among us may hunger
for food or help when in need.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
2) Gospel Reading - John 3,7b-15
Jesus said to Nicodemus: "You must be
born from above. The wind blows where it pleases; you can hear its sound, but
you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with
everyone who is born of the Spirit." 'How is that possible?' asked
Nicodemus.
Jesus replied, 'You are the Teacher of Israel, and you do not know these things! 'In all truth I tell you, we speak only about what we know and witness only to what we have seen and yet you people reject our evidence. If you do not believe me when I speak to you about earthly things, how will you believe me when I speak to you about heavenly things? No one has gone up to heaven except the one who came down from heaven, the Son of man; as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so must the Son of man be lifted up so that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.
Jesus replied, 'You are the Teacher of Israel, and you do not know these things! 'In all truth I tell you, we speak only about what we know and witness only to what we have seen and yet you people reject our evidence. If you do not believe me when I speak to you about earthly things, how will you believe me when I speak to you about heavenly things? No one has gone up to heaven except the one who came down from heaven, the Son of man; as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so must the Son of man be lifted up so that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.
3) Reflection
• Today’s Gospel speaks about the
conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus. Nicodemus had heard people speak
about the things Jesus did, and he was struck, surprised. He wishes to speak
with Jesus in order to be able to understand better. He thought he knew the
things of God. He lived with the booklet of the past in his hand to see if this
agreed with the novelty announced by Jesus. In the conversation, Jesus says
that the only way in which Nicodemus could understand the things of God was to
be born again! Sometimes we are like Nicodemus: we only accept as something new
what is in agreement with our old ideas. Other times, we allow ourselves to be
surprised by facts and we are not afraid to say: “I am born anew!”
• When the Evangelists recall the last words of Jesus, they have before them the problems of the communities for which they write. The questions of Nicodemus to Jesus are a reflection of the questions of the communities of Asia Minor at the end of the first century. For this reason, the answers of Jesus to Nicodemus were, at the same time, a response to the problems of those communities. At that time, the Christians followed the catechesis in this way. Most probably, the account of the conversation of Jesus with Nicodemus formed part of the Baptismal catechesis, because he says that the persons have to be reborn from water and the Spirit (Jn 3, 6).
• John 3, 7b-8: Born from above, born anew, again, and born of the Spirit. In Greek, the same word means anew, again and from above. Jesus had said: “No one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born through water and the Spirit” (Jn 3, 5). And he adds “”What is born of human nature, is human (flesh); what is born of the Spirit is Spirit” (Jn 3, 6).Here ‘flesh’ means that which is born only from our own ideas. What is born from us has our own mark, our own measure. To be born of the Spirit is another thing! And Jesus, once again reaffirms what he had said before: One has to be born from above (born again)” That is, one must be reborn of the Spirit who comes from above. And he explains that the Spirit is like the wind. Both in Hebrew and in Greek, the same word is used to say spirit and wind. Jesus says “The wind blows where it pleases; you can hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit. The wind has within it a direction. We are aware of the direction of the wind, for example, the wind of the North and the wind of the South, but we do not know nor do we control the cause why the wind moves in one direction or another. The Spirit is like this. “No one is the master of the Spirit” (Qc 8, 8).That which best characterizes the wind, the Spirit, is liberty. The wind, the Spirit, is free, it cannot be controlled. It acts on others and nobody can act on it. Its origin is the mystery; its destiny is the mystery. The fisherman has, in the first place, to discover the direction of the wind. Then he should place the sails according to that direction. This is what Nicodemus should do and what all of us should do.
• John 3, 9: Question of Nicodemus: How is that possible? Jesus does nothing more than summarize what the Old Testament taught concerning the action of the Spirit, of the holy wind, in the life of the People of God and which Nicodemus, Teacher and Doctor, should know. And just the same, Nicodemus is frightened in hearing Jesus’ response and acts as if he was ignorant: “How is that possible?”
• John 3, 10-15: The answer of Jesus: Faith comes from witness and not from the miracle. Jesus changes the question: “You are the Teacher of Israel and you do not know these things?” Because for Jesus, if persons believe only when things are according to their own arguments and ideas, then the faith is not perfect. Faith is perfect when it is the faith of one who believes because of the witness. He leaves aside his own arguments and gives himself, because he believes in the one giving witness.
• When the Evangelists recall the last words of Jesus, they have before them the problems of the communities for which they write. The questions of Nicodemus to Jesus are a reflection of the questions of the communities of Asia Minor at the end of the first century. For this reason, the answers of Jesus to Nicodemus were, at the same time, a response to the problems of those communities. At that time, the Christians followed the catechesis in this way. Most probably, the account of the conversation of Jesus with Nicodemus formed part of the Baptismal catechesis, because he says that the persons have to be reborn from water and the Spirit (Jn 3, 6).
• John 3, 7b-8: Born from above, born anew, again, and born of the Spirit. In Greek, the same word means anew, again and from above. Jesus had said: “No one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born through water and the Spirit” (Jn 3, 5). And he adds “”What is born of human nature, is human (flesh); what is born of the Spirit is Spirit” (Jn 3, 6).Here ‘flesh’ means that which is born only from our own ideas. What is born from us has our own mark, our own measure. To be born of the Spirit is another thing! And Jesus, once again reaffirms what he had said before: One has to be born from above (born again)” That is, one must be reborn of the Spirit who comes from above. And he explains that the Spirit is like the wind. Both in Hebrew and in Greek, the same word is used to say spirit and wind. Jesus says “The wind blows where it pleases; you can hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit. The wind has within it a direction. We are aware of the direction of the wind, for example, the wind of the North and the wind of the South, but we do not know nor do we control the cause why the wind moves in one direction or another. The Spirit is like this. “No one is the master of the Spirit” (Qc 8, 8).That which best characterizes the wind, the Spirit, is liberty. The wind, the Spirit, is free, it cannot be controlled. It acts on others and nobody can act on it. Its origin is the mystery; its destiny is the mystery. The fisherman has, in the first place, to discover the direction of the wind. Then he should place the sails according to that direction. This is what Nicodemus should do and what all of us should do.
• John 3, 9: Question of Nicodemus: How is that possible? Jesus does nothing more than summarize what the Old Testament taught concerning the action of the Spirit, of the holy wind, in the life of the People of God and which Nicodemus, Teacher and Doctor, should know. And just the same, Nicodemus is frightened in hearing Jesus’ response and acts as if he was ignorant: “How is that possible?”
• John 3, 10-15: The answer of Jesus: Faith comes from witness and not from the miracle. Jesus changes the question: “You are the Teacher of Israel and you do not know these things?” Because for Jesus, if persons believe only when things are according to their own arguments and ideas, then the faith is not perfect. Faith is perfect when it is the faith of one who believes because of the witness. He leaves aside his own arguments and gives himself, because he believes in the one giving witness.
4) Personal Questions
• Have you had some experience in which you
have had the impression of being born again? How was it?
• Jesus compares the action of the Holy Spirit with the wind. What does this comparison of the action of the Spirit of God reveal in our life? Have you already placed the sails of your life according to the direction of the wind of the Spirit?
• Jesus compares the action of the Holy Spirit with the wind. What does this comparison of the action of the Spirit of God reveal in our life? Have you already placed the sails of your life according to the direction of the wind of the Spirit?
5) Concluding Prayer
Yahweh is near to the broken-hearted,
he helps those whose spirit is crushed.
Though hardships without number beset the upright,
Yahweh brings rescue from them all. (Ps 34,18-19)
he helps those whose spirit is crushed.
Though hardships without number beset the upright,
Yahweh brings rescue from them all. (Ps 34,18-19)
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