DAILY- HOMILY

April 28, 2014
Monday Second Week of Easter
[St. Peter Chanel; St. Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort]

Acts 4: 23-31 / Ps 2:1-3, 4-7a, 7b-9 / Jn 3:1-8

Reading: Acts 4: 23-31
As soon as Peter and John were set free, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and elders had said to them. When they heard it, they raised their voices as one and called upon God, "Sovereign Lord, maker of heaven and earth, of the sea and everything in them, you have put these words in the mouth of David, our father and your servant, through the Holy Spirit: Why did the pagan nations rage and the people conspire in folly? The kings of the earth were aligned and the princes gathered together against the Lord and against his Messiah. For indeed in this very city Herod with Pontius Pilate, and the pagans together with the people of Israel conspired against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. Thus, indeed, they brought about whatever your powerful will had decided from all time would happen. But now, Lord, see their threats against us and enable your servants to speak your word with all boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and to work signs and wonders through the Name of Jesus your holy servant." When they had prayed, the place where they were gathered together shook, and they were all filled with Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God boldly.   

Gospel: Jn 3:1- 8
Among the Pharisees there was a ruler of the Jews named Nicodemus. He came to Jesus by night and said, "Rabbi, we know that you have come from God to teach us, for no one can perform miraculous signs like yours unless God is with him." Jesus replied, "Truly, I say to you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again from above." Nicodemus said, "How can there be rebirth for a grown man? Who could go back to his mother's womb and be born again?" Jesus replied, "Truly, I say to you: No one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Because of this, don't be surprised when I say: 'You must be born again from above.' The wind blows where it pleases and you hear its sound, but you don't know where it comes from or where it is going. It is like that with everyone who is born of the Spirit."

Reflection:
      The gospel narrative presents an interesting person Nicodemus, a learned man. He visited Jesus by night when Jesus could give him full attention. Or perhaps, he visited him at night because he avoided inquisitive people seeing him go to Jesus and listening to their conversation. There were no appointments made at that time so full attention was given by the one visited to his visitor. As a learned man Nicodemus believed and affirmed that Jesus is from God to teach the people about God. These nightly visits were very helpful to Nicodemus. Jesus' availability gave Nicodemus a chance to learn things he did not understand. Jesus spoke to him about being born from above, from the Holy Spirit and water. This conversation teaches us about our sacramental baptism. We were baptized as babies and we are told of its importance in catechism but oftentimes the importance is easily forgotten. We need to renew our baptismal vows as adults in confirmation by the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus uses the wind which we hear and feel, but we do not know where it comes from and where it is going. We know about God but are we always conscious of him? Our faith is such that we take many things for granted or even pretend we know or do not know it according to our convenience.
     How can our baptism and confirmation help us live as daughters and sons of God?

Prayer Requests:
We pray ...
... for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the unborn
... for all the prayer intentions in the MTQ Dailyprayer Diary
... for families who are in need of healing
... for world peace and reconciliation

Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most.

Have a good day!

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