Being Born Again
Gospel Reflection - Monday, April 28th
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, unless one is born from above, he cannot see the Kingdom of God."
Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man 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
Us Christians are born more than once.
The first birth is a physical one, when we come into this earth from the womb of our mother. This is obviously a very meaningful moment, but it’s not —as today’s Gospel highlights— enough to initiate us into God’s kingdom. Entering God's kingdom requires more than just outward observance of religious laws; it necessitates a fundamental spiritual transformation.
This spiritual transformation, or this “second birth” occurs when we are "born again" or "born from above" through water and the Spirit to enter the Kingdom of God. This is a critical moment in our lives, as it signifies the shedding of our old identity and our acceptance of Grace and of the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.
It’s a great mystery, but it’s undeniably true, the power that God has to change us into someone completely new. By being “born of water and Spirit”, God grants us the immense gift of a new heart, one which cooperates with Grace and which is open to receiving the Holy Spirit.
The main takeaway from this passage is, in my opinion, the importance of this second birth, of surrendering your heart fully to Jesus, and of opening the door to the Holy Spirit, to let Him work in your life, to renew your very being.
Nothing less than a radical transformation from our sinful ways will suffice, and to achieve that, we need to let the Holy Spirit work in us. We need to be born and then born again, by surrendering our souls to Christ, and only then will we start moving towards the eternity that awaits us.
Thank you for reading, and God bless you!
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Great reflection. By the way I just finished reading your book Knight, Monk, King, Prophet, and really enjoyed it.
Evangelicals don't understand that they must be Baptized of the Water and the Spirit, and be perfectly clean, to enter Heaven. They think Catholic Christians are wrong in everything. I tell them we are the original Christians going all the way back to St Peter (when Jesus, Himself, gave him the Keys the Kingdom - our first Pope). I ask them who started their church. I'm thankful to be in the One True Church of Jesus Christ, Himself - the Catholic Church. +JMJ+