THE WORD BECAME FLESH

Monday in the second week of Easter, 2021

Acts 4:23-32

Ps 2

John 3:1-8

Born of water and spirit

Today’s first reading follows on from the rulers, elders and scribes ordering Peter  and John in a threatening manner not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

The response of Peter and John was to go to the community of believers and in their presence to pray, asking God for help to proclaim the gospel ‘with all boldness’. As they prayed, they were filled with the Holy Spirit and in the strength of that Spirit they proclaimed the word of God courageously. We need the same courage or boldness to proclaim the gospel of the Lord today. The source of our courage is the same Holy Spirit who is given to us within the community of faith, when we join with other believers in prayerful petition.

The religious leaders may have wanted to put a lid on what was happening but they discovered that, in the words of Jesus to Nathanael in the gospel reading (Jn 3:1-8), the Spirit, like the wind, blows where it pleases. The Spirit is always at work furthering the work of the Lord in the world. No earthly power can hold back the Spirit. Our calling is to open our hearts ever more fully to the powerful presence of the Spirit, whom the Lord continues to pour out on all who know their need of the Spirit.

In the gospel reading, Jesus calls on Nicodemus to allow himself to be born of water and the Spirit, to surrender to the movement of the Spirit. Nicodemus was a ‘teacher of Israel’ and he related to Jesus as a fellow teacher, ‘we know that you are a teacher who comes from God’. In reality, Jesus was not just Nicodemus’ fellow teacher. As John the Baptist had earlier said, he is the one on whom the Spirit descended and remained and who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. Like Nicodemus, we all need to keep opening our lives more fully to the Spirit whom the risen Lord is always offering us, so that we can boldly proclaim by our lives the good news of his life, death and resurrection.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus Christ, you offer us abundant new life and power to live as sons and daughters of our father in heaven. Renew in us the gift of faith to accept and obey your life-giving word and to cooperate with the transforming power of your Holy Spirit who changes us into your likeness. Amen.

+Remain blessed