Word to the Wise
Monday, April 29, 2019 - 2nd Week of Easter - Mon
[Acts 4:23-31 and John 3:1-8]"Amen, amen, I say to you, unless one is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God.......Amen, amen, I say to you, unless one is born of water and Spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God." [John]
APRIL 29 ST. CATHERINE OF SIENA, O.P.
These words of Jesus are spoken to Nicodemus, a Pharisee, who comes to Jesus at night because he is afraid his fellow Pharisees would learn of his attraction to Jesus. He will make two other appearances in the gospel. He will defend Jesus in the Sanhedrin (7:50) and will take part in the burial of Jesus. (19:39). Although the gospel does not say that he became a disciple, the evidence seems pretty strong that he did. He serves as the means of introducing a discourse from Jesus about being "born from above."
There have been debates in the history of the Church about the necessity of sacramental baptism for salvation. But even in a more "apologetic" time, we were taught about the possibility of baptism by desire or by blood (martyrdom). What is of importance here is faith in Jesus. Many of the figures in the Gospel According to John - Nicodemus, the Samaritan woman, the Man Born Blind - come to belief by stages. The fullness of faith that is signified through baptism, which incorporates us fully into the Body of Christ may not be possible for every single person. Some will only "touch the tassel of his cloak." [Matt. 9:20-21]. We have to allow in our thinking for the freedom of God's Spirit to work in the human heart. We also are called by our baptism to invite others to the fullness of faith that we have received. Nicodemus is like many of the people we will encounter in this task of evangelization. Our own lives have to be living invitations to faith. AMEN