Monday of the Second Week of Easter
Today’s Gospel presents us with a puzzling dialogue between Jesus and Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader. The Pharisee comes to Our Lord and acknowledges His divine origins: “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.” But rather than greeting such recognition with praise, Jesus corrects him: “Unless one is born from above, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.” Why?
Although Nicodemus is correct that Jesus has come from God, his reasoning for arriving at that conclusion is flawed. Nicodemus sees the world through the lens of external success, citing signs and wonders as the basis for his belief, but Christ wants to lead him to a deeper faith in things unseen. The reason Jesus has come is not to bring worldly favor, but to turn our hearts to the ways of God, ways that often include many trials and tribulations. Jesus knows that He must suffer and die in a way contrary to worldly ideals, and He wants Nicodemus to have a faith in Him that is not rooted in external signs but in the internal workings of the Spirit.
In contrast to Nicodemus’s focus on the ways of the flesh, the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles provides an example of the spiritual worldview that Jesus desires to bring about. In this account, Peter and John return to the community of early Christians after being threatened by the Jewish authorities. Rather than viewing this as a worldly setback or a reprimand from God, they recognize this persecution as foretold in the Psalms. They choose instead to praise God and ask for boldness of speech in the face of such opposition.
The faith of these first Christians is a beautiful witness to the way we are to live our lives. Today, rather than focusing on external results like Nicodemus, let us follow the example of faith found in the early Church and ask God for the grace to live out the Gospel boldly in our daily lives.
Reflection by Nathan, seminarian
Posted in Article for Easter, Daily Reflections