Nick at Nite

Nicodemus is a ruler of the Jews, a highly influential member of the Sanhedrin.

The very group of leaders who are looking for a way to have Jesus killed.

And yet he comes seeking Jesus, at night, hoping to learn from him.

He says he knows that Jesus is from God and has God with him.

The signs have convinced him of that.

He's not ready to take the risk of being seen with Jesus.

But he's hungry for greater understanding.

Jesus tells him that to see the kingdom of God he must be born from above.

Born of water and the Spirit.

Nicodemus takes that most literally, and says that once born, one cannot be born again.

And then Jesus goes into the somewhat critical response we hear in today’s Gospel verses.

Nicodemus may deserve credit for coining that now-popular Christian description
—Born again.

He may also have been one of the first Christian theologians.

Theology has been defined as faith seeking understanding.

That seems to describe precisely what Nicodemus was doing that night.

He already had faith—at least some faith; he believed that Jesus was from God.

But he wanted to learn more.

He was driven to seek a greater understanding.

All of us who have been baptized have already been born again
—born of water and the Spirit.

For most of us, that was quite some time ago.

And we probably had little or nothing to say about it.

But then most of us have also made our Confirmation.

And that did involve some studying and demonstration of some understanding and desire.

Beyond that, we've racked-up many years of life experiences.

We've had joys and sorrows, ups and downs.

We've been hot and cold in our faith and our service.

We've also experienced some moments of conversion and insight and understanding.

And hopefully there are more of those to come.

We have the gift of faith.

Faith is not belief based on concrete incontrovertible proof; it is not knowledge.

Faith is belief based on testimony; the testimony of Scripture and Tradition.

Belief based upon evidence and logic: the test of time;

The examples of our companions and of the hundreds of millions who have gone before us;

The teachings of the great scholars;

The voice of our own reason and the voice of the Spirit within us.

We have at least the seed of faith, and we're called to nurture it.

We're all called to be lifelong theologians; seeking out Jesus like Nicodemus. did

Asking the hard questions, listening for answers that help us grow in understanding.

The reward for our effort is increased faith.

Which brings with it a greater sense of peace and serenity.

Peace be with you is the repeated greeting we hear from Jesus throughout this Easter season. 
Faith in our benevolent God gives us great comfort in the most trying times of this life.  
It assures us that there is something far better yet to come—for ourselves and for our loved ones.  

Tuesday, 2nd Week of Easter

Jn 3:7b-15                                 Read this Scripture @usccb.org 
 Jn 3:1-7a                                 Read this Scripture @usccb.org