Monday of the Second Week of Easter
Lectionary: 267
Lectionary: 267
After their release Peter and John went back to their own people
and reported what the chief priests and elders had told them.
And when they heard it,
they raised their voices to God with one accord
and said, “Sovereign Lord, maker of heaven and earth
and the sea and all that is in them,
you said by the Holy Spirit
through the mouth of our father David, your servant:
and reported what the chief priests and elders had told them.
And when they heard it,
they raised their voices to God with one accord
and said, “Sovereign Lord, maker of heaven and earth
and the sea and all that is in them,
you said by the Holy Spirit
through the mouth of our father David, your servant:
Why did the Gentiles rage
and the peoples entertain folly?
The kings of the earth took their stand
and the princes gathered together
against the Lord and against his anointed.
and the peoples entertain folly?
The kings of the earth took their stand
and the princes gathered together
against the Lord and against his anointed.
Indeed they gathered in this city
against your holy servant Jesus whom you anointed,
Herod and Pontius Pilate,
together with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,
to do what your hand and your will
had long ago planned to take place.
And now, Lord, take note of their threats,
and enable your servants to speak your word
with all boldness, as you stretch forth your hand to heal,
and signs and wonders are done
through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
As they prayed, the place where they were gathered shook,
and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit
and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.
against your holy servant Jesus whom you anointed,
Herod and Pontius Pilate,
together with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,
to do what your hand and your will
had long ago planned to take place.
And now, Lord, take note of their threats,
and enable your servants to speak your word
with all boldness, as you stretch forth your hand to heal,
and signs and wonders are done
through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
As they prayed, the place where they were gathered shook,
and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit
and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.
Responsorial Psalm2:1-3,
4-7A, 7B-9
R. (see 11d) Blessed are all who
take refuge in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Why do the nations rage
and the peoples utter folly?
The kings of the earth rise up,
and the princes conspire together
against the LORD and against his anointed:
“Let us break their fetters
and cast their bonds from us!”
R. Blessed are all who take refuge in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He who is throned in heaven laughs;
the LORD derides them.
Then in anger he speaks to them;
he terrifies them in his wrath:
“I myself have set up my king
on Zion, my holy mountain.”
I will proclaim the decree of the LORD.
R. Blessed are all who take refuge in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD said to me, “You are my Son;
this day I have begotten you.
Ask of me and I will give you
the nations for an inheritance
and the ends of the earth for your possession.
You shall rule them with an iron rod;
you shall shatter them like an earthen dish.”
R. Blessed are all who take refuge in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Why do the nations rage
and the peoples utter folly?
The kings of the earth rise up,
and the princes conspire together
against the LORD and against his anointed:
“Let us break their fetters
and cast their bonds from us!”
R. Blessed are all who take refuge in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He who is throned in heaven laughs;
the LORD derides them.
Then in anger he speaks to them;
he terrifies them in his wrath:
“I myself have set up my king
on Zion, my holy mountain.”
I will proclaim the decree of the LORD.
R. Blessed are all who take refuge in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD said to me, “You are my Son;
this day I have begotten you.
Ask of me and I will give you
the nations for an inheritance
and the ends of the earth for your possession.
You shall rule them with an iron rod;
you shall shatter them like an earthen dish.”
R. Blessed are all who take refuge in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
AlleluiaCOL
3:1
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
If then you were raised with Christ,
seek what is above,
where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
If then you were raised with Christ,
seek what is above,
where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelJN 3:1-8
There was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
He came to Jesus at night and said to him,
“Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God,
for no one can do these signs that you are doing
unless God is with him.”
Jesus answered and said to him,
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless one is born from above, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
Nicodemus said to him,
“How can a man once grown old be born again?
Surely he cannot reenter his mother’s womb and be born again, can he?”
Jesus answered,
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless one is born of water and Spirit
he cannot enter the Kingdom of God.
What is born of flesh is flesh
and what is born of spirit is spirit.
Do not be amazed that I told you,
‘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.”
He came to Jesus at night and said to him,
“Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God,
for no one can do these signs that you are doing
unless God is with him.”
Jesus answered and said to him,
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless one is born from above, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
Nicodemus said to him,
“How can a man once grown old be born again?
Surely he cannot reenter his mother’s womb and be born again, can he?”
Jesus answered,
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless one is born of water and Spirit
he cannot enter the Kingdom of God.
What is born of flesh is flesh
and what is born of spirit is spirit.
Do not be amazed that I told you,
‘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.”
Meditation: "Unless
one is born anew"
Do you nourish your faith with prayerful reflection of the word
of God? When Nicodemus heard about Jesus' miracles and extraordinary teaching,
he decided to meet with him privately, away from the crowds and the public
spotlight. Nicodemus was no ordinary Jew. He was a religious ruler and member
of the Sanhedrin, which was the supreme court of the Jews, and a teacher of
Israel (John 3:10). He was a devout Pharisee who sought to perfectly follow the
law of Moses, as prescribed in the Five Books of Moses (Genesis, Exodus,
Deuteronomy, Leviticus, and Numbers) and further elaborated in the numerous
scribal laws, recorded in the Mishnah and the Talmud.
Nicodemus decided to meet with Jesus at night, possibly for two
reasons. He may have been cautious and not ready to publicly associate
himself with Jesus since many Pharisees opposed Jesus' teaching and called him
a Sabbath breaker. It is also likely that Nicodemus chose the night as the best
time for seeking a private and undisturbed conversation with Jesus. The rabbis
declared that the best time to study the law was at night after the day's work
was completed and the household was at rest. When Nicodemus saw Jesus he
addressed him as rabbi (a teacher of God's word and law) and
acknowledged that Jesus' teaching came from God.
How can one get right with God and enter his
kingdom?
Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus went to the very heart of the Mosaic law - how can one get right with God and enter God's kingdom? Jesus' answer was brief and startling: "Unless one is born anew, he cannot see God." The new birth which Jesus spoke about was not a physical birth but the beginning of a spiritual birth which is something completely new and radical, and from above, namely from God himself. Jesus said that this rebirth was necessary if one was to enter God's kingdom. Nicodemus thought that to be born again, even spiritually, was impossible. He probably knew too well from experience that anyone who wants to be changed from within, can't accomplish this by oneself. Jesus explained that this change could only come about through the work and action of the Holy Spirit. This rebirth in the Spirit is very real and experiential, like the wind which can be felt and heard while it is visibly unseen to the naked eye.
Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus went to the very heart of the Mosaic law - how can one get right with God and enter God's kingdom? Jesus' answer was brief and startling: "Unless one is born anew, he cannot see God." The new birth which Jesus spoke about was not a physical birth but the beginning of a spiritual birth which is something completely new and radical, and from above, namely from God himself. Jesus said that this rebirth was necessary if one was to enter God's kingdom. Nicodemus thought that to be born again, even spiritually, was impossible. He probably knew too well from experience that anyone who wants to be changed from within, can't accomplish this by oneself. Jesus explained that this change could only come about through the work and action of the Holy Spirit. This rebirth in the Spirit is very real and experiential, like the wind which can be felt and heard while it is visibly unseen to the naked eye.
Rebirth to new life in the power of the Holy
Spirit
What does it mean to be reborn in the Spirit? The new birth which Jesus speaks of is a spiritual birth to a life which is transformed through the power of God. This new life brings us into an experiential relationship with God as his adopted sons and daughters (Romans 6:4; 8:10-11). This new birth is made possible when one is baptized into Christ and receives the gift of the Holy Spirit. God wants to renew all of his people in the gift of new life in his Holy Spirit. This new life in the Spirit brings us into God's kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy (Romans 14:17).
What does it mean to be reborn in the Spirit? The new birth which Jesus speaks of is a spiritual birth to a life which is transformed through the power of God. This new life brings us into an experiential relationship with God as his adopted sons and daughters (Romans 6:4; 8:10-11). This new birth is made possible when one is baptized into Christ and receives the gift of the Holy Spirit. God wants to renew all of his people in the gift of new life in his Holy Spirit. This new life in the Spirit brings us into God's kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy (Romans 14:17).
What is the kingdom of God - which is also
called the kingdom of heaven? God's kingdom - his reign and
blessing as King over us - is the abundant everlasting life and power from
heaven which God shares with those who accept him as the Eternal Father and
Author of Life and Ruler of All he has created. Jesus explains in the prayer he
gave to his disciples, what we call the Lord's Prayer or the Our Father, that
God's kingdom is that society of men and women who acknowledge God as their
Lord and Ruler and who obey his word and live according to his will on earth as
it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10).
We are sons and daughters of God and citizens
of his kingdom
To be reborn in the Spirit is to enter that society in which God is honored and obeyed. Those who willingly accept God's rule in their lives become citizens of God's heavenly kingdom and members of God's family - his adopted sons and daughters. And they enter into possession of the life which comes from God himself, an everlasting life of love, peace, joy, and freedom from sin, oppression, and corruption. Do you know the joy and freedom of the new birth and abundant life which Jesus Christ has won for you?
To be reborn in the Spirit is to enter that society in which God is honored and obeyed. Those who willingly accept God's rule in their lives become citizens of God's heavenly kingdom and members of God's family - his adopted sons and daughters. And they enter into possession of the life which comes from God himself, an everlasting life of love, peace, joy, and freedom from sin, oppression, and corruption. Do you know the joy and freedom of the new birth and abundant life which Jesus Christ has won for you?
"Lord Jesus Christ, you offer us abundant new life and
power to live as sons and daughters of our Father in heaven. Renew in me the
gift of faith to accept and obey your life-giving word and to cooperate with
the transforming power of your Holy Spirit who changes us into your likeness.
May your kingdom come and your will be done in my life today, tomorrow, and
always."
A Daily Quote from early church fathers: Reborn
and Fed by the Spirit, by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"And then that rebirth, which brings about the forgiveness
of all past sins, takes place in the Holy Spirit, according to the Lord's own
words, 'Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, one cannot enter the
kingdom of God.' But it is one thing to be born of the Spirit, another to be
fed by the Spirit; just as it is one thing to be born of the flesh, which
happens when a mother gives birth, and another to be fed from the flesh, which
appears when she nurses the baby. We see the child turn to drink with delight
from the bosom of her who brought it forth to life. Its life continues to be
nourished by the same source which brought it into being." (excerpt
from Sermon 71.19)
MONDAY, APRIL 20, JOHN 3:1-8
EASTER WEEKDAY
(Acts 4:23-31; Psalm 2)
EASTER WEEKDAY
(Acts 4:23-31; Psalm 2)
KEY VERSE: "No one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit" (v.5).
TO KNOW: Nicodemus was a Pharisee, a member of the Sanhedrin (the Jewish council), and one of the Jerusalem aristocracy. Nicodemus was curious about Jesus but he was afraid to come to him in broad daylight, so he came to him at night. Jesus told him that it was not enough to claim membership in the chosen people. To become a child of God, one must be "born from above" (v.3). Nicodemus misinterpreted this to mean human birth. Jesus helped him to understand that he could only enter God's kingdom through spiritual rebirth in Baptism, being born of "water and Spirit." Although the workings of the Spirit were invisible, like the wind, anyone could observe the results. Nicodemus' spiritual growth was seen later when he courageously defended Jesus before the Sanhedrin (Jn 7:50), and when he came to anoint Jesus' body for burial (Jn 19:39).
TO LOVE: Am I seeking to learn more about Jesus?
TO SERVE: Risen Lord, help me to trust in the mysterious workings of the Spirit.
HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY
(YOM HA SHOAH)
(YOM HA SHOAH)
The United Nations General Assembly designated this day as International Holocaust Remembrance Day (IHRD), an annual day of commemoration to honor the victims of the Nazi era. Every member nation of the U.N. has an obligation to honor the memory of Holocaust victims and develop educational programs as part of an international resolve to help prevent future acts of genocide. The U.N. resolution that created IHRD rejects denial of the Holocaust, and condemns discrimination and violence based on religion or ethnicity. For Jews, Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom HaShoah in Hebrew) will begin in the evening of Monday 20th April, 2020 and ends at nightfall of Tuesday 21st April, 2020
Monday 20 April 2020
Acts 4:23-31. Happy are all who put their trust in the
Lord – Psalm 2:1-9. John 3:1-8.
‘Focus on heavenly, spiritual things’
Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews, was prepared to spend time
listening to Jesus’ teachings. Yet his logical mind caused him problems. The idea
of being born again ‘after having grown old’ greatly confused him and he failed
to understand what Jesus meant. However, Jesus understood this and was patient
with him. He encouraged Nicodemus to focus on heavenly, spiritual things. And
sensing an eagerness in Nicodemus to learn more, he gave him a deeper
understanding of the truth – of the real presence of the Holy Spirit. He also
explained to him how the ‘word blows where it chooses and you hear the sound of
it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes.’ Let our prayer
be that we too will be aware of the Holy Spirit’s presence in our own lives.
Saint Conrad of Parzham
Saint of the Day for April 20
(December 22, 1818 – April 21, 1894)
 |
| Sculpture of Saint Conrad of Parzham | photo by Andreas Praefcke |
Saint Conrad of Parzham’s Story
Conrad spent most of his life as porter in Altoetting, Bavaria,
letting people into the friary and indirectly encouraging them to let God into
their lives.
His parents, Bartholomew and Gertrude Birndorfer, lived near
Parzham, Bavaria. In those days, this region was recovering from the Napoleonic
wars. A lover of solitary prayer and a peacemaker as a young man, Conrad joined
the Capuchins as a brother. He made his profession in 1852 and was assigned to
the friary in Altoetting. That city’s shrine to Mary was very popular; at the
nearby Capuchin friary there was a lot of work for the porter, a job Conrad
held for 41 years.
At first, some of the other friars were jealous that such a
young friar held this important job. Conrad’s patience and holy life overcame
their doubts. As porter, he dealt with many people, obtaining many of the
friary supplies and generously providing for the poor who came to the door. He
treated them all with the courtesy Francis expected of his followers.
Conrad’s helpfulness was sometimes unnerving. Once Father
Vincent, seeking quiet to prepare a sermon, went up the belltower of the
church. Conrad tracked him down when someone wanting to go to confession
specifically requested Father Vincent.
Conrad also developed a special rapport with the children of the
area. He enthusiastically promoted the Seraphic Work of Charity, which aided
neglected children.
Conrad spent hours in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. He
regularly asked the Blessed Mother to intercede for him and for the many people
he included in his prayers. The ever-patient Conrad was canonized in 1934.
His Liturgical Feast Day is April 21.
Reflection
As we can see from his life as well as his words, Conrad of
Parzham lived a life that attracted others because of a special quality,
something Chesterton alluded to when he wrote, “The moment we have a fixed
heart we have a free hand.” If we want to understand Conrad, we have to know
where he fixed his heart. Because he was united to God in prayer, everyone felt
at ease in Conrad’s presence.
Lectio Divina: John 3,1-8
Lectio Divina
Monday, April 20, 2020
Easter Time
1) Opening prayer
Lord God, our Father,
You are not far away from any of us,
for in You we live and move and exist
and You live in us
through Your Holy Spirit.
You are not far away from any of us,
for in You we live and move and exist
and You live in us
through Your Holy Spirit.
Be indeed with us, Lord,
send us Your Holy Spirit of truth
and through Him deepen our understanding
of the life and message of Your Son,
that we may accept the full truth
and live by it consistently.
We ask You this through Christ our Lord.
send us Your Holy Spirit of truth
and through Him deepen our understanding
of the life and message of Your Son,
that we may accept the full truth
and live by it consistently.
We ask You this through Christ our Lord.
2) Gospel Reading - John 3:1-8
There was one of the Pharisees called Nicodemus, a leader of the
Jews, who came to Jesus by night and said, 'Rabbi, we know that You have come
from God as a teacher; for no one could perform the signs that You do unless
God were with Him.'
Jesus answered, ‘In all truth I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.’ Nicodemus said, 'How can anyone who is already old be born? Is it possible to go back into the womb again and be born?'
Jesus replied, ‘In all truth I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born through water and the Spirit; what is born of human nature is human; what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be surprised when I say, “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.’
Jesus answered, ‘In all truth I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.’ Nicodemus said, 'How can anyone who is already old be born? Is it possible to go back into the womb again and be born?'
Jesus replied, ‘In all truth I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born through water and the Spirit; what is born of human nature is human; what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be surprised when I say, “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.’
3) Reflection
• The Gospel today presents part of Jesus’ conversation with
Nicodemus. Nicodemus appears several times in the Gospel of John:
(Jn 3:1-13; 7:50-52; 19:39). He was a person who held a certain social position. He was a leader among the Jews and formed part of the supreme tribunal, called the Sanhedrin. In the Gospel of John, he represents the group of Jews who were pious and sincere, but who did not understand everything which Jesus said and did. Nicodemus had heard about the signs and the wonderful things that Jesus did, and he was struck, amazed. He wanted to speak with Jesus in order to understand better. He was a cultured person, who thought he believed the things of God. He expected the Messiah with the Book of the Law in his hand to verify if the novelty announced by Jesus would arrive. Jesus makes Nicodemus understand that the only way to understand the things of God is to be born again! Today this same thing happens. Some, like Nicodemus, accept as new only what agrees with their ideas. What does not agree with their ideas is rejected and considered contrary to tradition. Others allow themselves to be surprised from facts and are not afraid to say, “I have been born anew!”
• John 3:1: A man called Nicodemus. Shortly before Jesus’ encounter with Nicodemus, the Evangelist was speaking of the imperfect faith of certain persons who were interested only in the miracles of Jesus (Jn 2:23-25). Nicodemus was one of these people. He had good will, but his faith was still imperfect. The conversation with Jesus helped him to perceive that he had to advance in order to be able to deepen his faith in Jesus and in God.
• John 3:2: 1st question of Nicodemus: the tension between what is old and what is new. Nicodemus was a Pharisee, a prominent person among the Jews and with good common sense. He went to meet Jesus at night and said to Him, “Rabbì, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one could perform the signs that You do unless God were with him”. Nicodemus gives an opinion of Jesus according to arguments which he, Nicodemus himself, has within himself. This is already important, but it is not enough to know Jesus. The signs which Jesus works can arouse a person and awake some interest in the person. They can generate curiosity, but they do not generate greater faith. They do not make one see the Kingdom of God present in Jesus. For this reason it is necessary to advance, to take one more step. What is this step?
• John 3:3: Jesus’ response: "You must be born again!” In order that Nicodemus can see the Kingdom present in Jesus, he should be born again, from above. Anyone who tries to understand Jesus only from his arguments alone does not succeed in understanding Him. Jesus is much greater. If Nicodemus remains only with the catechism of the past in his hand, he will not manage to understand Jesus. He should open his hand completely. He should set aside his own certainties and his security and abandon himself totally. He should make a choice between, on the one hand, the security which comes from organized religion with its laws and traditions and, on the other hand, launch himself into the adventure of the Spirit which Jesus proposes to him.
• John 3:4: 2nd question of Nicodemus: How can anyone who is already old be born again? Nicodemus does not give in and returns with the same question with a certain irony: “How can a man be born when he is old? Is it possible to go back into the womb again and be born again?” Nicodemus takes Jesus’ words literally and, because of this, he understands nothing. He should have realized that the words of Jesus had a symbolic sense.
• John 3:5-8: Jesus’ answer: To be born from above, to be born from the Spirit. Jesus explains what it means to be born from above or to be born again. It is “To be born from water and the Spirit”. Here we have a very clear reference to Baptism. Through the conversation of Jesus with Nicodemus, the Evangelist invites us to review our Baptism. He gives the following words: “What is born of human nature is human, what is born of the Spirit is Spirit”. Flesh means that which is born only from our ideas. What is born from us is within our reach. To be born of the Spirit is another thing! The Spirit is like the wind. “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 anyone who is born of the Spirit”. The wind has within itself a direction, a route. We perceive the direction of the wind, for example, the North wind or the wind coming from the South, but we do not know, nor can we control the cause why the wind moves in this or that direction. This is the way the Spirit is. "No one is the master of the Spirit” (Eccl 8: 8). What characterizes the wind best, the Spirit, is liberty. The wind, the Spirit, is free, He cannot be controlled. He acts on others and nobody can act on him. His origin is a mystery. The boat must first find the route of the wind. Then it has to place the sails according to that route. That is what Nicodemus should do and what we should all do.
• A key to understanding better the words of Jesus on the Holy Spirit. The Hebrew language uses the same word to say wind and spirit. As we have said the wind has within it a route, a direction: the North wind, the wind from the South. The Spirit of God has a route, a project, which already manifested itself in creation. The Spirit was present in creation under the form of a bird which flew over the waters of the chaos (Gen 1: 2). Year after year, He renews the face of the earth and sets nature through the sequence of the seasons (Ps 104:30; 147:18). The same is also present in history. He makes the Red Sea move back (Ex 14: 21) and He gives quails to the people to eat (Num 11:31). He accompanies Moses and, beginning with him, He distributes the leaders of the people (Num 11:24-25). He took the leaders and took them to carry out liberating actions: Othniel (Judg 3:10), Gideon (Judg 6:34), Jephthah (Judg 11:29), Samson (Judg 13: 25; 14: 6, 19; 15:14), Saul (1Sam 11:6), and Deborah, the prophetess (Judg 4: 4). He is present in the group of the prophets and acts in them with the force which is contagious (1Sam 10: 5-6, 10). His action in the prophets produces envy in the others. But Moses reacts, “If only all Yahweh’s people were prophets, and Yahweh had given them His spirit!” (Num 11:29).
• All along the centuries the hope grew that the Spirit of God would have oriented the Messiah in the realization of God’s project (Isa 11:1-9) and it would have descended upon all the people of God (Ezek 36: 27; 39: 29; Isa 32:15; 44:3). The great promise of the Spirit appears in various ways in the prophets of the exile: the vision of the dry bones, risen by the force of the Spirit of God (Ezek 37:1-14); the effusion of the Spirit of God on all the people (Joel 3:1-5); the vision of the Messiah-Servant who will be anointed by the Spirit to establish the right on earth and announce the Good News to the poor (Isa 42:1; 44:1-3; 61:1-3). They perceive a future, in which people, always more and more, are reborn thanks to the effusion of the Spirit (Ezek 36: 26-27; Ps 51: 12; cf. Isa 32:15-20).
• The Gospel of John uses many images and symbols to signify the action of the Spirit. Just like in creation (Gen 1:1), in the same way the Spirit descended upon Jesus “like a dove, coming from heaven” (Jn 1:32). It is the beginning of the new creation! Jesus pronounces the words of God and communicates to us His Spirit (Jn 3:34). His words are spirit and life (Jn 6:63). When Jesus announces that he is going to the Father, He says that He will send another Consoler, another defender, so that He can remain with us. He is the Holy Spirit (Jn 14:16-17). Through His Passion, death and resurrection, Jesus obtains for us the gift of the Holy Spirit. Through Baptism all of us receive this same Spirit of Jesus (Jn 1:33). When He appears to the Apostles, He breathes on them and says, "Receive the Holy Spirit!” (Jn 20:22). The Spirit is like the water which springs up from persons who believe in Jesus (Jn 7: 37-39; 4:14). The first effect of the action of the Spirit in us is reconciliation: "If you forgive anyone’s sins they are forgiven; if you retain anyone’s sins they are retained” (Jn 20:23). The Spirit is given to us in order that we may remember and understand the full meaning of the words of Jesus (Jn 14: 26; 16: 12-13). Animated by the Spirit of Jesus we can adore God anywhere (Jn 4: 23-24). Here is realized the liberty of the Spirit of whom Saint Paul speaks: “Where the Spirit is, there is liberty” (2 Cor 3:17).
(Jn 3:1-13; 7:50-52; 19:39). He was a person who held a certain social position. He was a leader among the Jews and formed part of the supreme tribunal, called the Sanhedrin. In the Gospel of John, he represents the group of Jews who were pious and sincere, but who did not understand everything which Jesus said and did. Nicodemus had heard about the signs and the wonderful things that Jesus did, and he was struck, amazed. He wanted to speak with Jesus in order to understand better. He was a cultured person, who thought he believed the things of God. He expected the Messiah with the Book of the Law in his hand to verify if the novelty announced by Jesus would arrive. Jesus makes Nicodemus understand that the only way to understand the things of God is to be born again! Today this same thing happens. Some, like Nicodemus, accept as new only what agrees with their ideas. What does not agree with their ideas is rejected and considered contrary to tradition. Others allow themselves to be surprised from facts and are not afraid to say, “I have been born anew!”
• John 3:1: A man called Nicodemus. Shortly before Jesus’ encounter with Nicodemus, the Evangelist was speaking of the imperfect faith of certain persons who were interested only in the miracles of Jesus (Jn 2:23-25). Nicodemus was one of these people. He had good will, but his faith was still imperfect. The conversation with Jesus helped him to perceive that he had to advance in order to be able to deepen his faith in Jesus and in God.
• John 3:2: 1st question of Nicodemus: the tension between what is old and what is new. Nicodemus was a Pharisee, a prominent person among the Jews and with good common sense. He went to meet Jesus at night and said to Him, “Rabbì, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one could perform the signs that You do unless God were with him”. Nicodemus gives an opinion of Jesus according to arguments which he, Nicodemus himself, has within himself. This is already important, but it is not enough to know Jesus. The signs which Jesus works can arouse a person and awake some interest in the person. They can generate curiosity, but they do not generate greater faith. They do not make one see the Kingdom of God present in Jesus. For this reason it is necessary to advance, to take one more step. What is this step?
• John 3:3: Jesus’ response: "You must be born again!” In order that Nicodemus can see the Kingdom present in Jesus, he should be born again, from above. Anyone who tries to understand Jesus only from his arguments alone does not succeed in understanding Him. Jesus is much greater. If Nicodemus remains only with the catechism of the past in his hand, he will not manage to understand Jesus. He should open his hand completely. He should set aside his own certainties and his security and abandon himself totally. He should make a choice between, on the one hand, the security which comes from organized religion with its laws and traditions and, on the other hand, launch himself into the adventure of the Spirit which Jesus proposes to him.
• John 3:4: 2nd question of Nicodemus: How can anyone who is already old be born again? Nicodemus does not give in and returns with the same question with a certain irony: “How can a man be born when he is old? Is it possible to go back into the womb again and be born again?” Nicodemus takes Jesus’ words literally and, because of this, he understands nothing. He should have realized that the words of Jesus had a symbolic sense.
• John 3:5-8: Jesus’ answer: To be born from above, to be born from the Spirit. Jesus explains what it means to be born from above or to be born again. It is “To be born from water and the Spirit”. Here we have a very clear reference to Baptism. Through the conversation of Jesus with Nicodemus, the Evangelist invites us to review our Baptism. He gives the following words: “What is born of human nature is human, what is born of the Spirit is Spirit”. Flesh means that which is born only from our ideas. What is born from us is within our reach. To be born of the Spirit is another thing! The Spirit is like the wind. “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 anyone who is born of the Spirit”. The wind has within itself a direction, a route. We perceive the direction of the wind, for example, the North wind or the wind coming from the South, but we do not know, nor can we control the cause why the wind moves in this or that direction. This is the way the Spirit is. "No one is the master of the Spirit” (Eccl 8: 8). What characterizes the wind best, the Spirit, is liberty. The wind, the Spirit, is free, He cannot be controlled. He acts on others and nobody can act on him. His origin is a mystery. The boat must first find the route of the wind. Then it has to place the sails according to that route. That is what Nicodemus should do and what we should all do.
• A key to understanding better the words of Jesus on the Holy Spirit. The Hebrew language uses the same word to say wind and spirit. As we have said the wind has within it a route, a direction: the North wind, the wind from the South. The Spirit of God has a route, a project, which already manifested itself in creation. The Spirit was present in creation under the form of a bird which flew over the waters of the chaos (Gen 1: 2). Year after year, He renews the face of the earth and sets nature through the sequence of the seasons (Ps 104:30; 147:18). The same is also present in history. He makes the Red Sea move back (Ex 14: 21) and He gives quails to the people to eat (Num 11:31). He accompanies Moses and, beginning with him, He distributes the leaders of the people (Num 11:24-25). He took the leaders and took them to carry out liberating actions: Othniel (Judg 3:10), Gideon (Judg 6:34), Jephthah (Judg 11:29), Samson (Judg 13: 25; 14: 6, 19; 15:14), Saul (1Sam 11:6), and Deborah, the prophetess (Judg 4: 4). He is present in the group of the prophets and acts in them with the force which is contagious (1Sam 10: 5-6, 10). His action in the prophets produces envy in the others. But Moses reacts, “If only all Yahweh’s people were prophets, and Yahweh had given them His spirit!” (Num 11:29).
• All along the centuries the hope grew that the Spirit of God would have oriented the Messiah in the realization of God’s project (Isa 11:1-9) and it would have descended upon all the people of God (Ezek 36: 27; 39: 29; Isa 32:15; 44:3). The great promise of the Spirit appears in various ways in the prophets of the exile: the vision of the dry bones, risen by the force of the Spirit of God (Ezek 37:1-14); the effusion of the Spirit of God on all the people (Joel 3:1-5); the vision of the Messiah-Servant who will be anointed by the Spirit to establish the right on earth and announce the Good News to the poor (Isa 42:1; 44:1-3; 61:1-3). They perceive a future, in which people, always more and more, are reborn thanks to the effusion of the Spirit (Ezek 36: 26-27; Ps 51: 12; cf. Isa 32:15-20).
• The Gospel of John uses many images and symbols to signify the action of the Spirit. Just like in creation (Gen 1:1), in the same way the Spirit descended upon Jesus “like a dove, coming from heaven” (Jn 1:32). It is the beginning of the new creation! Jesus pronounces the words of God and communicates to us His Spirit (Jn 3:34). His words are spirit and life (Jn 6:63). When Jesus announces that he is going to the Father, He says that He will send another Consoler, another defender, so that He can remain with us. He is the Holy Spirit (Jn 14:16-17). Through His Passion, death and resurrection, Jesus obtains for us the gift of the Holy Spirit. Through Baptism all of us receive this same Spirit of Jesus (Jn 1:33). When He appears to the Apostles, He breathes on them and says, "Receive the Holy Spirit!” (Jn 20:22). The Spirit is like the water which springs up from persons who believe in Jesus (Jn 7: 37-39; 4:14). The first effect of the action of the Spirit in us is reconciliation: "If you forgive anyone’s sins they are forgiven; if you retain anyone’s sins they are retained” (Jn 20:23). The Spirit is given to us in order that we may remember and understand the full meaning of the words of Jesus (Jn 14: 26; 16: 12-13). Animated by the Spirit of Jesus we can adore God anywhere (Jn 4: 23-24). Here is realized the liberty of the Spirit of whom Saint Paul speaks: “Where the Spirit is, there is liberty” (2 Cor 3:17).
4) Personal questions
• How do you react to new things which present themselves; like
Nicodemus or do you accept God’s surprizes?
• Jesus compares the action of the Holy Spirit to the wind (Jn 3:8). What does this comparison reveal to me about the action of the Spirit of God in my life? Have you already had some experience which has given you the impression of being born again?
• Jesus compares the action of the Holy Spirit to the wind (Jn 3:8). What does this comparison reveal to me about the action of the Spirit of God in my life? Have you already had some experience which has given you the impression of being born again?
5) Concluding prayer
I will bless Yahweh at all times,
His praise continually on my lips.
I will praise Yahweh from my heart;
let the humble hear and rejoice. (Ps 34:1-2)
His praise continually on my lips.
I will praise Yahweh from my heart;
let the humble hear and rejoice. (Ps 34:1-2)
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