21 | April | 2009

Archive for April 21st, 2009

"’You must be born from above.’

April 21, 2009

04212009

The Words of Jesus of Nazareth by Lee Cantelon

The Promise of the Spirit

I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot understand them just now. However, when the breath of God has come, he will guide you into all truth, for he will not speak of himself; but whatever he hears, that he will speak, showing you those things that are to come.

He will praise me and glorify me, by revealing my glory to you. All of the Father’s glory is mine as well. This is why I am able to make this promise to you: the Spirit will reveal my divine nature to you. If your child asked of you bread, would you offer a stone? If your child asked fish to eat, would you offer a snake? Would you serve a scorpion to the little ones who ask for an egg?

If you then, being of this earth, know how to provide good things for your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the breath of God to those who ask him?

When the Comforter, the Spirit of truth, whom I will send to you from the Father has come, he will testify of me. He will teach you all things, and will remind you of all that I have told you.

Lord God, Abba Father, O that You would bless me and mine, keep us from evil and from pain. Guiding our walk through the Holy Spirit by the Light of Jesus Christ our Savior, so that we will never see the dark to hide any thought, word or act; renewing our heart at the foot of the Cross where we shall be reminded of the passing ways under the sun and the eternal life that awaits us in and through Jesus, and reminding us that as the seasons those things that worry us so, those people who offend, hurt and try to take advantage of us, are but lost sheep seeking the way and we are all called to be lights, an example of Jesus presence in our hearts, minds and bodies. This I ask and pray, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

We must love our neighbor as being made in the image of God and as an object of His love.

— St. Vincent de Paul

Reading 1
Acts 4:32-37
The community of believers was of one heart and mind,
and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own,
but they had everything in common.
With great power the Apostles bore witness
to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus,
and great favor was accorded them all.
There was no needy person among them,
for those who owned property or houses would sell them,
bring the proceeds of the sale,
and put them at the feet of the Apostles,
and they were distributed to each according to need.

Thus Joseph, also named by the Apostles Barnabas
(which is translated "son of encouragement"),
a Levite, a Cypriot by birth,
sold a piece of property that he owned,
then brought the money and put it at the feet of the Apostles.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 93:1ab, 1cd-2, 5
R. (1a) The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
The LORD is king, in splendor robed;
robed is the LORD and girt about with strength.
R. The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
And he has made the world firm,
not to be moved.
Your throne stands firm from of old;
from everlasting you are, O LORD.
R. The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
Your decrees are worthy of trust indeed:
holiness befits your house,
O LORD, for length of days.
R. The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.

Gospel
Jn 3:7b-15
Jesus said to Nicodemus:
"’You must be born from above.’
The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes,
but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes;
so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."
Nicodemus answered and said to him,
‘How can this happen?"
Jesus answered and said to him,
"You are the teacher of Israel and you do not understand this?
Amen, amen, I say to you,
we speak of what we know and we testify to what we have seen,
but you people do not accept our testimony.
If I tell you about earthly things and you do not believe,
how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?
No one has gone up to heaven
except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man.
And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,
so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life."