Second Birth: Born of Water and the Spirit

In today's Gospel, John 3: 1-8, Nicodemus goes to Jesus at night and acknowledges that Jesus is from God, "for no one," he says to Jesus, "can do these signs that  you are doing unless God is with him."  Jesus says to him in response: "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless one is born from above, he cannot see the Kingdom of God." Jesus explains further:  "[U]nless 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.....'You must be born from above.'"

In baptism, you and I were born again, that is, we were born of  water and the spirit. Our first birth was of the flesh. Our second birth was of the Spirit. Born of water and the Spirit in baptism, we are recipients of the gifts of the Spirit--wisdom, understanding, right judgment, courage, knowledge and reverence, holy reverence in God's presence--and empowered to bear an abundance of fruits of the Spirit: love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. We live by the Spirit because of this second birth.  The more we renounce ourselves, also, the more we 'walk by the Spirit'" (Catechism of the Catholic Church, # 736, p. 194).

Nicodemus goes to Jesus at night--he is not yet born from above but is invited to be so!  How strong am I in my faith, that is, do I invite others to be born from above, to be baptized with water and he Spirit? Do I realize that it is because I have been gifted with the sacrament of baptism that I am more likely to act wisely, peacefully, patiently, kindly, gently; that I am therefore  more likely to be faithful to my marriage, religious or priestly vows; and that goodness is more likely to dominate the majority of my choices for that same reason?  Why would I not invite a loved one to choose baptism and seek God above all, to renounce him/herself and thereby walk more in the Spirit than in the flesh?

With the apostles, in today's first reading, Acts 4: 23-31, let us pray for the gift to speak boldly when it comes to proclaiming our faith in Christ Jesus and in what Jesus teaches us in the Scriptures and in the Church.

Life-giving Waters

Today's first reading, Ez 47: 1-9, 12, tells the story of an angel bringing Ezekiel to the entrance of the temple. Water was trickling from the right side out toward the east. At first it was ankle deep. Then knee deep, waist deep and finally too deep to wade through. You had to swim, as it had become a deep river of fresh water flowing to the salty sea, making the sea water fresh.  Anything along the banks of the river flourished and produced abundant fruit! The angel asked Ezekiel to sit at the bank of the river. From the bank he saw the richness of the foliage.

That River flows to this very day to the ends of the earth, touching all of our lives.  When  I sit at the Source of that River of grace, I, too, am refreshed, renewed, purified and bear an abundance of fruit! 

Parts of life are like that river; that is, it is too deep or dangerous to cross without a lifeguard. That lifeguard is Jesus.  Many times, also, we will find ourselves in situations portrayed in today's Gospel, John 5: 1-16.  The cripple man, ill for 38 years and unable to get down to the healing waters of the Bethesda pool, needed someone to intervene for him.  Jesus does just that and continues doing so for you and me every day of our lives til the day He retuns to take us home to our Father God. Are we even aware that we need Jesus' help?