Tuesday of the Second Week of Easter
It was only a short time ago, on Tuesday of the fifth week of Lent that we heard the story of the Israelites, worn out by their desert journey, complaining to Moses about the lack of food and water.
God had just worked such great wonders among them and had freed them from slavery in the land of Egypt and now they were grumbling! In punishment for their failure to trust in him, they were plagued by deadly serpents. Moses intervened with God for the people and it was by gazing upon a seraph serpent mounted upon a pole that life was restored to those who had been afflicted with the fatal snake bites. In today’s gospel, Jesus recalls this event in the history of Israel to Nicodemus and applies the image to himself: “And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”
Jesus is telling Nicodemus that to “be born from above” requires a change of heart and a willingness to place one’s complete trust in “the one who has come down from heaven.” He compares the stubborn refusal of the Scribes and Pharisees to believe in the Son of Man to the hard-heartedness of the Israelites in the desert. What does that mean for us today? Only last Friday—Good Friday—did we gaze upon Christ lifted up on the cross, who underwent suffering and death to heal the wounds of sin. We have also fixed our eyes upon the Risen Christ, triumphant over sin and death. And today he challenges us to raise our vision to the things that are above, to surrender our lives completely into the care of our Father in Heaven and trust that all that is needed will be provided for us. It is this conscious act of faith and trust that ultimately brings us the gift of Easter Peace.
Reflection by Br. Michael Marcotte, OSB
Posted in Article for Easter, Daily Reflections