April 16, 2012
- Category: brdaniel
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Monday in 2nd Week of Easter
Saint for the day: St. Bernadette Soubirous (1884-1879)
Acts 4:23-31
Psalm 2
John 3:1-8
“Amen, Amen. Unless you are born of water and the spirit you cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven.”
In my growing up years in Catholic school we had the Baltimore Catechism and we were made to memorize the questions that were presented. When quizzed we were required to first repeat the question and then give the answer – as found in the book: “What is a sacrament? A sacrament is an outward sign instituted by Christ to give grace.”
In today’s Gospel Jesus tells Nicodemus that “he must be born again by water and the spirit” and I was intrigued by the images that came to my mind. On the “outward sign” theme we know that water cleanses. It is also necessary for sustaining life. Without water nothing can exist. In the reading from Acts the whole place shook when they prayed. I like to see these two “symbols” as important in our Christian journey. That’s why Jesus tells Nicodemus that he must be born of water and the spirit. So, in a sense, baptism cleanses us of all sin but it’s the “spirit” that re-forms us. In Genesis we’re told that “the Spirit of God hovered over the chaos of the waters and brought them into order. In this reading from Acts, the Spirit shakes the whole place to wake them up and get them going. Whenever we enter the church we sign ourselves with Holy Water as a reminder of our baptism but whatever happens to us inside the church must shake us loose from our pre-conceptions and empower us for the journey. That’s why I like the priest who ended the Mass with the startling words, “May the Peace of Christ profoundly disturb you!” If the Spirit doesn’t shake us up we might need to ask, “what is our Christian life all about?” Something to think about as we continue our Easter celebrations. Amen!
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