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Gospel: John 3: 1-8
There was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
He came to Jesus at night and said to him,
“Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God,
for no one can do these signs that you are doing
unless God is with him.”
Jesus answered and said to him,
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless one is born from above, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
Nicodemus said to him,
“How can a man once grown old be born again?
Surely he cannot reenter his mother’s womb and be born again, can he?”
Jesus answered,
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless one is born of water and Spirit
he cannot enter the Kingdom of God.
What is born of flesh is flesh
and what is born of spirit is spirit.
Do not be amazed that I told you,
‘You must be born from above.’
The wind blows where it wills,
and you can hear the sound it makes,
but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes;
so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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Today we encounter a Pharisee named Nicodemus. His role in John’s Gospel is similar to that of Doubting Thomas, whom we encountered yesterday.
They both remind us that faith is a journey, sometimes riddled with questions, doubt, and the need for personal experience with the Risen Christ.
We first encounter Nicodemus at the beginning of Christ’s public ministry.
Nicodemus has seen and heard enough of Jesus that he’s on the verge of faith. But he remains stuck in the realm of questioning. So, he approaches Jesus, initiating a dialogue.
But Jesus speaks elusively, telling him that he must be, “born again,” which makes Nicodemus wonder, “how can a man once grown old be born again?”
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We do not encounter Nicodemus again until the near end of Jesus’ public ministry, when Jesus is put on trial. Still a Pharisee, Nicodemus intervenes on Jesus’ behalf, imploring his peers to allow Jesus to explain himself – a sign that Nicodemus still wants to believe.
We encounter him a third and final time after the crucifixion, when he brings spices to anoint Jesus’ body. Does Nicodemus’ faith die with Jesus at the tomb? Does he remember him simply as a respected rabbi?
Or does Nicodemus become part of the early Christian community?
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We don’t know. John leaves that for us to ponder.
Nicodemus reminds us that, at some point, we all must decide for ourselves who Jesus is. Our answer is often driven by personal experience – or a lack thereof. Thus, in the words of Jesus, “Who do you say that I am?”
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Our answer does not mean that we’ve had every question resolved or that our faith is without difficulty. But a willingness to believe in Jesus raised from the dead opens up the possibility for us to experience life beyond the grave.
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Image credits: (1) The Resurrection of Christ, Giovanni Battista Moroni (2) Nicodemus Before Christ, Henry Ossawa Tanner, 1899 (3) Pinterest