You Must Be Born Anew

 

To be born anew is to be born of the Spirit.

Reflection on Today’s Readings, Tuesday of 2nd Week of Easter, Year B, April 9th, 2024
Texts: Acts 4:32-37; Psalm 93:1-2,5; John 3:7-15 

Jesus Christ tells us, today, "You must be born anew". To be born anew is to be born of the Spirit.  Hence, it is a spiritual birth. He speaks of the new birth as something that we only see it’s effect, not the process.  

The new birth comes through knowledge. This is clear in the words of Jesus: “Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen”. Our life is a witness to our experience, what we know and have seen. Hence, to believe in Jesus Christ is to be born anew. He says, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life." The new birth in Christ is into eternal life.  

We love one another as Father has loved us

The life of those who are born anew bear witness to Christ by being of one heart and soul. In the words of Jesus: “I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me” (John 17:23). Being of one heart and soul bears witness to Christ and the love of the Father for us. We love one another as Father has loved us; we are one as Father and Son is one and are one in them. 

Today’s first reading is about how Christians bear witness to Christ through their community. We read, “The company of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had everything in common.” In such community we are able to give testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and received great grace. In such community no one lacks, no one is rich or poor. 

We are to make common good our priority

We learn from the community of those who are born anew that greed and division creates dichotomy. We talk of rich and poor in our society because of prevalence of greed and division. A person has taken what belongs to a generation for himself. We are to make common good our priority rather than self-interest.  

Prayer 

Enable us, we pray, almighty God, to proclaim the power of the risen Lord, that we, who have received the pledge of his gift, may come to possess all he gives when it is fully revealed. Amen 

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke