Reflection on John 3:1-8

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Monday, April 20, 2020

In this Gospel a Pharisee, a member of the Sanhedrin, and a ruler of the Jews came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who come from God, for no one can do these signs that you are doing unless God is with him.” Notice that in his comment, he used the pronoun “we” and not “I.” So, who are the “we?” The Gospel does not tell us. Whenever I read this Gospel passage, I wonder if Nicodemus wanted to say more before Jesus interrupted him or if he actually said more that was not captured by the author of John’s Gospel. Be that as it may, the response of Jesus to him is: “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless one is born from above (some Bible translations say “born again”), he cannot see the Kingdom of God.” 

What does Jesus mean by “born from above?” To be born from above or born again is to have a radical change of life usually called metanoia. It is about having a change of attitude required to live in the energy of the Incarnation. To be born again is to be holy. The book Hebrews says, “Strive for peace with everyone, and for that holiness without which no one will see the Lord” (12:14). To be born again is to decide to hate and despise sin and to turn one’s attention to God. God and God’s matters matter. So, to make a deliberate and intentional decision to commit one’s life to God, to live godly and care about everything that Jesus cared about it is to be born again. To be born again is to live out our baptismal promises to reject Satan, all his works, and all his empty promises. After rejecting him and everything he stands for, we turn our hearts and minds to God— we express our faith in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth; we express our faith in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was born of the Virgin Mary, was crucified, died and was buried, rose from the dead and is now seated at the right hand of the Father; we also express our faith in the Holy Spirit, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. Now, this expression of faith must be accompanied by good works— works of charity, commonly called the corporal works of mercy and the spiritual works of mercy. 

To be born from above is not a one time project but everyday. Everyday, we must walk and live by the Spirit so as to eschew gratifying the desire of the flesh. (Galatians 5:16). As St. Paul teaches us, what the flesh desires and wants are totally opposed by the Spirit, and what the Spirit wants are opposed by the flesh. That’s why he urges us believers to be guided and be led by the Spirit. As you can see, being born from above cannot be a one time experience and project but a daily spiritual war.