Daily Reflection | Gospel Reading | RVA

Gospel: John 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.”

Reflections

“Truly, I say to you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again from above.”We must be“born from above” (another in Greek) to enter the kingdom of heaven. Other translations render it as “born again.” Had the author meant born again, he could have used palin. Born again Christians get their name from the mistranslation of John 3,3. To be born from above is to be baptized.Jesus discusses with a big figure of the Pharisaic group the necessity to undergo baptism as preached by John the Baptist. When one is baptized, he is born from above. He becomes a child of God. The first birth occurs when one is delivered from the mother’s womb. The first is the natural birth, while the second is the spiritual birth.When one is baptized in water and Spirit, the person now belongs to a higher realm. He enters God’s realm.The Catholic Church teaches since the beginning that its baptism is indelible. One cannot be baptized again if he is already baptized. If he leaves the Catholic Church and joins another religion and then returns, he needs not to be baptized again. When God declares us children through baptism, let us begin living according to the Spirit, no longer according to the flesh.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2019

Gospel: John 20:19-31
On the evening of that day, the first day after the Sabbath, the doors were locked where the disciples were, because of their fear of the Jews. But Jesus came, and stood among them, and said to them, “Peace be with you!” Then he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples, seeing the Lord, were full of joy. Again Jesus said to them, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” After saying this, he breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit! Those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven; those whose sins you retain, they are retained.” Thomas, the Twin, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he

replied, “Until I have seen in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”Eight days later, the disciples were again inside the house and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; stretch out your hand, and put it into my side. Do not continue in your unbelief, but believe!”Thomas said, “You are my Lord and my God.” Jesus replied, “You believe because you see me, don’t you? Happy are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”There were many other signs that Jesus gave in the presence of his disciples, but they are not recorded in this book. These are recorded, so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Believe, and you will have life through his name!

Lectio Divina

READ: Thomas is known for doubting the resurrection of Jesus. He changes his mind when Jesus revisits. The First Reading presents what the believers in the Risen Lord can do. They can perform miracles. In the Second Reading, John becomes productive even in Exile in Patmos. He is asked to write God’s message for the churches.

REFLECT: Thomas makes an incredible demand. It is not only to see is to believe, but to touch is to believe. He is not contented with sight, for it can just be a hallucination brought about by their intense group crisis. Thomas makes a big gamble. He may become a laughing stock among the apostles. He will certainly become a failed apostle who has not completed his course on discipleship if he does not come to believe in the Risen Lord. Jesus comes to his rescue. He appears again and invites Thomas to touch and see his hands. Next he asks him to thrust (ballo) his hand on his side. Thomas now utters a profound profession of faith, “My God and my all.”

PRAY: Ask God to give you the gift of strong and active faith that makes you become outgoing.

ACT: Get involved in the Church. Use your talent in teaching, writing, giving instructions, facilitating or animating. Give time to charitable works.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2019

Gospel: Mark 16:9-15

After Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary of Magdala, from whom he had driven out seven demons. She went and reported the news to his followers, who were now mourning and weeping. But when they heard that he lived, and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.After this he showed himself in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country. These men also went back and told the others, but they did not believe them.Later Jesus showed himself to the Eleven while they were at table. He reproached them for their unbelief, and hardness of heart, in refusing to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.Then he told them, “Go out to the whole world and proclaim the Good News to all creation.

Reflections

“Proclaim the Good News to all creation.”Scholars agree that this passage of Mark’s gospel is added by an editor who thought it would be good also if Mark ends his gospel with Jesus’ appearances like the other gospels. It is not in the original text of Mark. We cannot also remove or ignore it because it has been recognized by the Church as inspired and canonical.The story emphasizes the incredulity of Jesus’ followers when they receive the news from Mary of Magdalene. They do not celebrate but are still mourning and grieving over the death of Jesus. Also they do not believe the two men going supposedly to Emmaus when they return to them and tell the story of Jesus’ resurrection.When Jesus himself appears to the Eleven, he scolds them for refusing to believe those who have seen him and testified. Without further ado, he sends them to proclaim the Good News to all the earth.Christians are not excused from giving witness. This is a tall order of the Risen Lord. Being skeptical does not sit well with Jesus. There should be no more room for disbelief.This passage is addressed to those who find it hard to believe in Christ’s resurrection.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2019