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[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."  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 saw 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."  [John]

     When I was in Catholic grade school so many years ago, it was a common interpretation of the passage from the Gospel According to John, quoted above from today's gospel, that explicit baptism by water was necessary for salvation.  Needless to say, we weren't very concerned about the billions of Jews, Moslems, Hindus and Buddhists (just to name some) who would inevitably be left out!  Scripture scholars warn us that the sacramental interpretations of later Christianity cannot be inserted into the text of the scripture without nuance and understanding of how those sacramental practices developed in the first place.

     In the Gospel According to John, the story of the encounter between Jesus and Nicodemus (early in the gospel) is not about sacramental baptism but about faith and the role of the Holy Spirit.  It is this Spirit that would be given after Jesus' resurrection.  Coming to faith in Jesus in this context is the equivalent of being "born again."  Water and Spirit are closely associated in this gospel as the encounter with the Samaritan Woman (living water - John 4) and the side wound of Jesus (water and blood - John 19:34-35 and 1 John 5:6-8) would show.  Nor should the expression "born again Christian" be confused with these passages.  The consistent message in the Gospel According to John is that Jesus is the one sent by God.  Faith in Jesus, enabled by the Holy Spirit, gives eternal life.  Sacramental baptism is the means by which one is formally introduced into this life, but we are not thereby granted total control of the Holy Spirit!  A baptismal celebration is a wonderful occasion to celebrate "re-birth" and can be a reminder to us of our own commitment in faith.  It is this faith in Jesus that enables us to "see the kingdom of God."  AMEN

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