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

In His WORD

Today’s Gospel Text:  Jesus then said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." 33 They answered him, "We are descendants of Abraham, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How is it that you say, 'You will be made free'?"  34 Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not continue in the house for ever; the son continues for ever. 36 So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are descendants of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me, because my word finds no place in you. 38 I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father." 39 They answered him, "Abraham is our father." Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham's children, you would do what Abraham did, 40 but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth which I heard from God; this is not what Abraham did. 41 You do what your father did." They said to him, "We were not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God." 42 Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I proceeded and came forth from God; I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. John 8:31-42

Reflection: What does it mean when one claims one is a Christian or a follower of Christ?

In other words; can anyone call on the name of Jesus and be baptized in the faith of the church and then freely call themselves Christians?  

Perhaps many do that and go around as Christians by only fulfilling a few of the obligations of the church, Which could include getting baptized, marriage and then finally the death ceremony, interspersed with a  few visits to the church or attending a few ceremonies on certain days of obligations.

This is in no different from a person getting married, with promises to live up to the demands or vows of marriage, and then living none of it.

Though such occurrences in marriage is less common or rare, but in matters of faith it is very common to claim oneself to be a Christian and living none of its obligations, including the obligation to to diligently seek to live according to the gospel of Christ.

Some among these would question thus: Is it necessary to be part of the church? Can’t one live out one’s obligation of being a Christian without being part of any organized religion.

Wish that was possible but Christ did not leave that option or choice open to us individuals.

The call to follow him included the call to make disciples (i.e. to love those in the world who are lost), the call to love one another in a community of believers just the way he loved his own in the world, and that too, to the end.

It was also a call to be sanctified by doing the things he commanded to be done in memory of him, by feeding constantly on the food of sanctification and to find the forgiveness for sins through the prayers of the community of believers, which in the Catholic faith is represented by the priest.

No wonder he says: "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."

Prayer:  Lord, teach me to continue in your word by following you through the church which you have established here on earth.

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