Tuesday, April 9, 2024
Reborn from above
An excerpt from 1 John 3:5-6,8
Jesus said, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Reflection from Mariah De La Fuente,Trinity: Following the way of the Lord is a lifelong journey. We are “born of water” once we are baptized, but being “born of the Spirit” speaks of a constant responsibility. We are influenced by the world everyday, from the moment we are born. The way others act or speak influence our habits and tendencies. It’s up to us, though, to commit our lives to asking ourselves if the habits we picked up are from God or from the world around us. For example, this Lent I committed to breaking the habit of swearing when I noticed it wasn’t something I ever did until I was around people who thought it was “cool.” Going forward, I’m excited to reflect on the Holy Spirit as a mysterious wind. A wind that never really leaves me, but is just softer or stronger at times when I need to be moved.
Photograph of a baptism at St. Lawrence, Libertyville.
ADDITIONAL READINGS:
For further study and prayer, the readings assigned for today are:
• Psalms 93
• Acts 4:32–37
• John 3:7–15
MUSIC:
“I Saw Waters Flowing”
by Christian Cosas
“All to whom the waters came,
They were saved and shall proclaim Alleluia!”
Tags: Easter to Pentecost 2024