Word to the Wise
Wednesday, April 11, 2018 - 2nd Week of Easter - Wed
[Acts 5:17-26 and John 3:16-21]WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11, 2018 ST. STANISLAUS, martyr. [Acts 5:17-26 and John 3:16-21] “God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” [John] These words are sometimes offered to a national audience at athletic events when a banner is unfurled with JOHN 3:16 emblazoned on it. Many a football field goal or point after touchdown has headed toward it! They are the continuation of Jesus’ conversation (discourse) with Nicodemus. One of the features of this gospel is an encounter followed by a discourse. In this encounter, it is helpful to remember that Nicodemus comes to Jesus at night (out of fear). He comes to the light. Jesus says to him, “And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil.....But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.” (Cf. John 1:4-5). Later on we hear NIcodemus defending Jesus before the Sanhedrin, and finally, NIcodemus comes with Joseph of Arimathea to claim Jesus’ body. What NIcodemus does then is clearly in the light. My own pastoral experience has brought me into contact often with the step by step or zigzag way that some people come to real faith. Jesus challenges Nicodemus but does not condemn him. This approach is characteristic of Pope Francis in our day. Many people are coming out of the darkness to experience the light they see in this leader. One would hope the rest of us can reflect that same light. AMEN
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