Word to the Wise
Monday, April 24, 2017 - 2nd Week of Easter - Mon
[Acts 4:23-31 and John 3:1-8]"Amen, amen, I say to you, unless one is born of water and Spirit he cannot enter the Kingdomof God. What is born of flesh is flesh and what is born of spirit is spirit." [John]
The scriptures during this second week of Easter are a study in contrast between the first and second scripture. The first scripture is from the Acts of the Apostles and captures the exciting first efforts of the apostles and other disciples to preach the word in Jerusalem and beyond. It could be re-titled, the "Adventures of the Apostles." The second (gospel) scripture is taken from the mysterious night time encounter between Nicodemus the Pharisee and Jesus. The quotation above is taken from that encounter.
The encounter with Nicodemus will introduce us to some of the major images and dramatic devices used by the evangelist, John, in creating his portrait of Jesus. For example, the quote begins with "Amen, amen...." which will serve as a signal that what follows is very important. The encounter takes place at night, which introduces us to something mentioned in the "prologue" about Jesus being the "light of light." The quotation itself could be familiar to many of us from our catechism study of the sacraments. Christian tradition has interpreted this passage in terms of the sacrament of baptism, but one must be careful in this gospel not to place a later understanding on an earlier use of words. Nevertheless, the new life of baptism is an important part of the Easter celebration and is something we always have with us as a matter of faith. If we know anyone who received baptism at the Easter Vigil this year, we can ask them about the impact of the event, but the Holy Spirit is not limited by time and aging.
As always in the Gospel According to John, the focus is on Jesus and not on a particular practice of the community. We have been born of water and the Spirit, but it is our faith in Jesus that these words signify. AMEN
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