Daily Reflection – 4/17/2023
Sacred Scripture
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, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a person 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.”(John 3:1-8)
Reflection
The concept of “being born again” is not a one- time event. It is given to all of us through our baptism and it is a continual journey which needs to be lived day after day. In fact, it is the root of the Christian faith.
Being born again happens by water and the Holy Spirit. When we are baptized, we enter into the waters and die with Christ. As we rise from the waters, we are reborn in Him. This means that baptism does something truly amazing in us.
Think about the import of that during this Easter season. We enter into the waters and die with Christ. As we rise, we are reborn with Him.
Scripture is very clear that we must receive a new birth in Christ. The old self must die, and the new self must be reborn. This is what it means to become a Christian. We take on a new life in Christ. It is an inner transformative process that we work at every day throughout our lives.
God wants to renew all his people in the gift of new life in his Holy Spirit. He gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit to guide us on the road to Him. The Holy Spirit is constantly dwelling within us. It exists to help us find our way home to God, our Father.
It’s key to understand though that His kingdom is both here and with His Father.
God’s kingdom here is that society of men and women who acknowledge God as their Lord and who live according to his will on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10). To be reborn is to enter that society in which God is honored and obeyed, to live as members of God’s family – his sons and daughters, and to enter into possession of that life which comes from God himself, a never-ending life of love, peace, joy, and freedom from sin and the fear of death.
It is that mysterious presence of God who moves you to acts of generosity and kindness when you could just as easily walk away. He is the One who helps you forgive a long-standing hurt even though the wound still stings. And he is the One who can give you courage to share your faith with a neighbor despite an inner reluctance.
Every time you follow these promptings, you become a little more mysterious to the people around you—and a little more attractive. That’s because with each act of kindness or faithfulness, you become more like Jesus, the most mysterious and attractive person who ever lived.
It is that conversion which cannot be confined to a one-time event. It is an ongoing, never-ending dynamic process, one that can easily be interrupted and even destroyed if we are not constantly reviewing our life as a process to reaching God. It is the Holy Spirit who inspires that process of conversion and gives it new inspiration and vitality.
It is the Holy Spirit who changes us from mere professed followers of Christ into mature, enthusiastic adults in the faith. It is this conversion that Jesus is talking about in the gospel.
Listen for the presence of the Holy Spirit within you. Pause, still yourself and pray “Come Holy Spirit, Come.” Never doubt that you will receive a prompting, a message, a nudge, an inkling. Mo matter which form, the Spirit is at our side throughout our journey, both to the kingdom of God as it exists on earth and to our final resting place with God.
Prayer of The Day
“Lord Jesus Christ, you offer us a new birth in the Holy Spirit. Renew in me the gift of faith and new life in your Holy Spirit. Help me to draw near to you and to believe in your life-giving word. May your kingdom come and may your will be done in my life today, tomorrow, and always.”
Daily Note
It is essential for a person to be baptized and to live out that faith in order to be saved. This means that we must study, understand and live out our faith and develop our own spiritual lives. We, as baptized people, have an obligation to proclaim the Risen Lord as did Peter and John.
