Tuesday of the Second Week of Easter
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 PsalmPS 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.
AlleluiaJN 3:14-15
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Son of Man must be lifted up,
so that everyone who believes in him
may have eternal life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Son of Man must be lifted up,
so that everyone who believes in him
may have eternal life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelJN 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 Anointed 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 Anointed 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 |
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April 14, 2015.
Tuesday of the Second Week of Easter
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By Father Steven Reilly, LC
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.
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TUESDAY, APRIL 14, JOHN 3:7b-15
Easter Weekday
(Acts 4:32-37; Psalm 93)
Easter Weekday
(Acts 4:32-37; Psalm 93)
KEY VERSE: "Do not be amazed that I told you, `You must be born from above'" (v 7).
TO READ: 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).
TO REFLECT: How can I help someone to be open to the Spirit in his or her life?
TO RESPOND: Risen Lord, breath your life into me.
Tuesday 14 April 2015
Acts 4:32-37. The Lord is
king; he is robed in majesty—Ps 91(92):1-2, 5. John 3:7-15.
‘The Son of Man must be
lifted up.’
Jesus is to be lifted up on
the cross. This is at the very heart of our faith—that a beaten, broken man
hanging on a cross is the most significant event in the history of our world
and of each individual. It is an ugly, brutal event which makes us want to turn
our faces away.
Why would Jesus do this for
me? Can it really be that he loves me that much? It is unbelievable. Perhaps it
is only with the gift of rebirth in the Spirit that we can believe it.
Father, please send the
Spirit to gently blow away the cobwebs of doubt and fear in my heart so that I
may believe that Jesus really did die for me.
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
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Be a True Witness
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May the joy and the love of the risen Jesus be always with you, in
you, and among you so that you become the true witnesses of the Father’s love
for the world. Let us also love God so much that we give ourselves to Him in
each other and in the poor.
April
14
Blessed Peter Gonzalez
(d. 1246)
Blessed Peter Gonzalez
(d. 1246)
St. Paul had a conversion experience on the road to Damascus. Many
years later, the same proved true for Peter Gonzalez, who triumphantly rode his
horse into the Spanish city of Astorga in the 13th century
to take up an important post at the cathedral. The animal stumbled and fell,
leaving Peter in the mud and onlookers amused.
Humbled,
Peter reevaluated his motivations (his bishop-uncle had secured the cathedral
post for him) and started down a new path. He became a Dominican priest and
proved to be a most effective preacher. He spent much of his time as court
chaplain, and attempted to exert positive influence on the behavior of members
of the court. After King Ferdinand III and his troops defeated the Moors at
Cordoba, Peter was successful in restraining the soldiers from pillaging and
persuaded the king to treat the defeated Moors with compassion.
After
retiring from the court, Peter devoted the remainder of his life to preaching
in northwest Spain. He developed a special mission to Spanish and Portuguese
seamen. He is the patron of sailors.
Peter
Gonzalez died in 1246 and was beatified in 1741.
LECTIO DIVINA:
JOHN 3,7B-15
Lectio:
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
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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