Second Week of Easter
Tuesday
Saint John 3, 11-15
With ever deeper affirmations, Jesus leads Nicodemus – and us – to a better understanding of what it means to believe in him. A knowledge transmitted to us by the one who comes from above, the one sent by God, the one who testifies to the profound knowledge of God.
Jesus complains about the little faith of «the wise men» of Israel represented by Nicodemus. In reality, the scene is told by the evangelist as prototypical: Nicodemus speaks in a certain way as the spokesman for the Jews («we know …») and is questioned by Jesus also as representative of all: «you do not accept our testimony … Do not you think». Jesus praised his Father one day saying: «You have hidden these things from the wise and revealed them to the simple.» Some are very wise about things below, and some are ignorant about things above, which are worth the most.
Above all, it is about capturing Christ in all the depths of his paschal mystery: not only as a prophet or miracle worker, but as one who has come down from God and, after his death on the cross, rises up again. Darling. Those who know how to see and believe in Jesus raised on the Cross and glorified in Glory, will have eternal life.
Reflection:
Jesus’ dialogue with Nicodemus also makes us think: are we one of the people who prefer to live in the dark or in the shadows, precisely because we do not accept the consequences that accepting the light will bring us? Is it not true that today’s men, including «the wise», sometimes prefer – or do we prefer? – not to know, not to grasp the depth of Christ, because that would force us to change, to «be reborn»?
Perhaps many simple people, without great culture, without as many spiritual means as we do, who do not know much theology but who have a good heart and lucid eyes of faith, are looking deeply at Jesus Christ, and allow themselves to be influenced by him, continually being reborn and growing in his Christian life.
Fr Antony Majeesh George, OFM
