Monday, April 28, 2025

Monday of the Second Week of Easter

(Acts 4:23-31; John 3:1-8)

A Jewish man had, as a boy, been taken from his parents and imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp. He survived only because a German soldier reached out to him in kindness.  He says that at one point he decided not to be bitter about his experience.  Rather, he would always return to Germans the kindness he had received from the soldier.  Well into old age the man’s countenance reflects his decisions.  He beams with peace.  Whether or not the man was ever baptized, he seems to have been born of the Spirit of which Jesus speaks in today’s gospel.

Jesus is explaining to Nicodemus that people must not follow the ways of the world.  Those ways dictate that people are to “look out for number one”; “get even with those who wrong you”; and follow a hundred other maxims of the dominant ego.  In contrast, Jesus teaches that people must love one another and forgive those who persecute them.  His message may be difficult for those who have undergone significant hardship.  But it leads to a life of everlasting peace for all.

The season of Lent has chastened us, and now Easter graces have been poured out on us.  We can commit ourselves to the hard teachings of Jesus.  Models like the Holocaust survivor exist.  More than ever it is time for us to live in the Spirit.

Monday, April 12, 2021

 Monday of the Second Week of Easter

(Acts 4:23-31; John 3:1-8)

In a movie, an old gang of friends have entered adulthood.  One of them has already married, and another is about to.  However, they are still drawn to the caprices of adolescent years.  The drama reaches a climax when one of the gang plans to seduce his friend’s wife.  Fortunately, the young man’s conscience wins out.  The movie demonstrates how the imprudent impulses of youth can tempt people into adulthood and beyond.  In doing so, it illustrates what Jesus teaches Nicodemus in today’s gospel.

Nicodemos is perplexed when Jesus says that one must be born again to see the Kingdom of God.  Jesus means that a person needs the Holy Spirit if she or he is to love others as he loves.  Without the Holy Spirit people are likely to see others as adolescents often do.  At best, they will treat others as competitors to be rivaled.  At worst, they will exploit them as prey to their selfish desires.  The Spirit enables the person to see others as brothers and sisters with God as Father.

We might think that with years the imprudent impulses of teens disappear.  They hopefully lessen, but they do not fade completely.  We must continually petition the Father to send His Spirit upon us if we are to love as Jesus loved.

Monday, April 20, 2020

Monday of the Second Week of Easter

(Acts 4:23-31; John 3:1-8)

Although she has an Irish name, Lisa Fitzgerald grew up in a Jewish household.  But she considered herself an atheist through law school at Harvard.  In the last couple of years, however, Ms. Fitzgerald began to read the works of Simone Weil, a French writer who died during World War II.  Weil, who also had Jewish roots, came closer to Christ as she began to pray.   One early morning Fitzgerald woke from sleep with a lot of energy.  She decided to run in a park.  While running, she was overcome with a need for prayer.  She crossed herself repeatedly, found a rosary site on her telephone, and began to recite it.  Later she joined the RCIA and was scheduled for Baptism this Easter. 

Lisa Fitzgerald’s story sheds light on what Jesus means in today’s gospel.  He tells Nicodemus that one has to be born again to “see the Kingdom of God.”  Being born again is more than a washing with Baptismal waters.  It is also viewing life in a whole new way.  Life is not a playground where one seeks different kinds of pleasure.  Nor is it a project to earn, buy, and consume to achieve happiness.  When one avails herself to God in Baptism, she realizes that life is a calling to know and love God.  Answering this call, she finds happiness in following God’s will.  This heavenly bliss will endure even death itself.

Most Catholics today are baptized as infants.  We grow up learning about God through parents and religion teachers.  As Jesus indicates in the gospel, we come to know Him slowly, almost imperceptibly.  Doing it right, however, we realize that God loves us and will give us happiness.  Still, we must respond to God with love.

Monday, April 24, 2017

Monday of the Second Week of Easter

(Acts 4:23-31; John 3:1-8)

A Jewish man had, as a boy, been taken from his parents and imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp. He survived only because a German soldier reached out to him in kindness.  He now says that he made a decision not to be bitter about the experience but would always return to them the kindness he had received.  Well into old age the man’s countenance reflects his decisions.  He beams with peace.  Whether or not the man was ever baptized, he has been born of the Spirit of which Jesus speaks in today’s gospel.

Jesus is explaining to Nicodemus that people must not follow the ways of the world.  Those ways dictate that people are to “look out for number one”; “get even with those who wrong you”; and a hundred other maxims of the ever dominant ego.  In contrast Jesus teaches that people have to love one another and to forgive those who persecute them.  His message may be difficult for those who have undergone significant hardship.  But it leads to a life of everlasting peace for all.

The season of Lent should have chastened us, and now Easter graces have been poured out on us.  We can commit ourselves to Jesus Christ.  Models like the Holocaust survivor exist.  More than ever it is time for us to live in the Spirit.

Monday, April 13, 2015

Monday of the Second Week of Easter

(Acts 4:23-31; John 3:1-8)

Ramon used to drink a lot.  We would say that he had a drinking problem.  He might have even called himself an alcoholic bound to nowhere except, perhaps, an early death.  One day, however, he decided to stop drinking.  The decision came in the midst of prayer and its outcome was nourished by prayer.  Since that moment Ramon has never been drunk again.  In fact, he never takes a drink although he will sip the Precious Blood when it is offered at Mass.

Such a radical turnabout seems to be what Jesus has in mind when he speaks of being born again.  He does not intend to say that one has merely to undergo the Baptism ritual to enter the Kingdom of God.  No, he has a more fundamental experience in mind.  He means being transformed so as to live in a completely new way.  Like Ramon those who experience such a change know that it is primarily not their doing but the work of grace.  Evidently many of the baptized in the early Church were so changed as they were preparing for the sacrament.

Then what about those of us who were baptized at a tender age?  Do we have a legitimate place in God’s Kingdom, or are we like squatters in the park soon to be removed?  Perhaps we could test ourselves.  Do we see continual change for the better in ourselves?  Do we find ourselves gradually becoming more God-like?  If we used to talking about ourselves, are we now ready to listen to those needing to share their burden?  If we used to looking at women or men as objects of desire, are we now seeing them as God’s beloved?  Such transformations are the true outcomes of water and the Spirit.

Monday, April 16, 2012

Monday of the Second Week of Easter

(Acts 4:23-31; John 3:1-8)

The RCIA director was reflecting on her experience of the Easter Vigil. It was amazing, she said; men and women were changed as if they had completely new lives. It may be presumed that it was not just the participation in the services of Holy Saturday that transformed the people. Rather they became new creations by the process of continual meeting, reflection and prayer. This kind of change seems to be what Jesus is getting at in his conversation with Nicodemus in today’s gospel.

The passage begins with Nicodemus coming to Jesus at night. Perhaps the intention here is only to explain how a Jewish leader could consult Jesus for theological truth. However just as likely, “night” is used here to give a nefarious tone to the scene. Like most people, Nicodemus comes to Jesus as a sinner. So conditioned, he has difficulty grasping what Jesus is saying. In fact, to Nicodemus Jesus’ message sounds ludicrous. “How can a man once grown old,” he asks, “be born again?” Sinners do not appreciate, and much less anticipate, the work of the Spirit that revitalizes people by giving both new reasons and new directions for living.

Graciously Nicodemus does not remain in darkness forever. Once Jesus hands over his spirit in death, Nicodemus will take it up to give Jesus in daylight the royal burial that he is due. The same Spirit is working in us as we show respect to everyone, even those who wrong us.

Monday, May 2, 2011

Memorial of Saint Athanasius, bishop and doctor of the Church

(Acts 4:23-31; John 3:1-8)

Ramon used to drink a lot. We would say that he had a drinking problem. He might have even called himself an alcoholic bound to nowhere except, perhaps, an early death. One day, however, he decided to stop drinking. The decision came in the midst of prayer and its outcome was nourished by prayer. Since that moment Ramon has never been drunk again. In fact, he never takes a drink although he will sip the Precious Blood when it is offered at Mass.

Such a radical turnabout seems to be what Jesus has in mind when he speaks of being born again. He does not intend to say that one has merely to undergo the Baptism ritual to see the kingdom of God. No, he has a more fundamental experience in mind. He means being transformed so as to live in a completely new way. Like Ramon those who experience such a change know that it is primarily not their doing but a work of grace. Evidently many of the baptized in the early Church were so changed as they were preparing for the sacrament.

Then what about those of us who were baptized at a tender age? Do we have a legitimate place in the kingdom of God, or are we like squatters in the park soon to be removed? Perhaps we could test ourselves. Do we see radical change for the better in ourselves? Do we find ourselves becoming more God-like? If we used to like talking about ourselves, are we now ready to listen to those needing to share their burden? If we used to look at women or men as objects of desire, are we now seeing them as God’s children? Such transformations are the true outcomes of water and the Spirit.

Homilette for Monday, April 20, 2009

Monday of the Second Week of Easter

(Acts 4:23-31; John 3:1-8)

Where the Gospel of John notes that Nicodemus comes to Jesus “at night,” its purpose is not to give the reader the time of day. Rather, “night” in this gospel indicates ignorance and possibly evil. In this case could Nicodemus do better than to consult Jesus, “the light of the world”?

Jesus sounds obscure to Nicodemus (and possibly to us as well) as he advises that one must be “born from above” to see the Kingdom of God. We know that Jesus is referring to Baptism here, but we should not think of it as a ceremonial washing. No, for the Gospel of John Baptism is the profound experience of being adopted into a whole new family. It is the joy of being loved not out of familial obligation, much less from egotistical passion, but from recognition of one’s innate dignity and despite one’s shortcomings and past mistakes. It is, as well, the Spirit’s empowerment to love others with like abandon.

Protestants often speak of their “born again” experiences which lead to Baptism. They may use Nicodemus’ term but have Jesus’ understanding of being “born from above” in mind. Catholics, typically baptized as infants, are at a loss with either expression. To get an idea of what Jesus means, we might recall an instance where we erred dismally – perhaps failing to visit a dying friend or cruelly insulting another. Then after confessing our sin and making some kinds of amends, we felt the love of Christ return to us as soothing as it was undeserved. This is, at least in part, the experience of being born again.