Born Again

Today’s Gospel Text: 'You must be born anew.' 8 The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes; so it is with every one who is born of the Spirit." 9 Nicode'mus said to him, "How can this be?" 10 Jesus answered him, "Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand this? 11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen; but you do not receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended from heaven, the Son of man. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life." John 3:7-15

Reflection: “You must be born anew” and so we have the Born Again Christians!

Are they the select and the elect or what should be the response to such claim of being “Born Again”?

Are we also called to be born again or shall we resign ourselves to the fact that we are baptized Christians and now in no need to be born again?

 If one understands what Jesus meant when he said that we must be ‘Born Again’ then one would know what we should be doing to live up to this calling and whether we still need to be one in spite of being baptized in the faith:

“The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." (vs.8)

These are some of the questions that everyone who claim themselves to be Christians, irrespective whether we are Born Again or not, should ask:

·     Are we in any way different then the people of the world? Is there something about us which is unique in relation to Christ and his Gospel?

·      Do people hear the sound of the gospel rather than our sounds? In other words: whom do we proclaim, Christ or ourselves?

·      Do people have more information about ourselves or do they have more information of Christ Jesus through us, as his mere instrument.  

·     God the Lord of all creation makes the wind to blow where he want to: are we directed by this our Lord and God to blow where he wants to and when? (cfr. Gen. 8:1; Ex. 15:10; Ps. 78:26; 147:18; Rev. 7:1)

If one is genuine in searching ones conscience in the light of the grace of God and his Holy Spirit then one will realize that what has begun in baptism is an ongoing process because the wind never dies off but continues in spurts and intervals, in strength and absence.

But it has to continue in dedication, with endurance and determination and just claiming that one is Born Again is never enough!

  

Prayer: Restore us to thyself, O Lord, that we may be restored! Renew our days as of old! Lam 5:21

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us