Monday 2nd Week of Easter 2026 A

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.”

———

This being born again can be hard to understand. It has been misread and many have been misled into thinking that baptism and church attendance is all that is required in this rebirthing process.

 

The calling of those born into the Spirit is to actually live in the Spirit. Those who will enter the Kingdom of God are given the Holy Spirit and a faith that they say yes to each day. It is not enough to profess belief, be baptized and then live as the pagans do. We must allow the Spirit to work through us. We choose lifestyle and actions and behaviors meant to help us follow the will of God as Jesus taught us.

 

Those destined for eternal life live as if they are living in the kingdom now. They struggle like all people but they turn back again and again striving to live for Jesus and working for Jesus.

 

Being born into the spirit means a person, though clothed with flesh and bone, lives according to the spirit and has their eyes set on things above where Jesus sits at the right hand of God.

 

It is the difference between living as if we are citizens of this world or living knowing we are actually foreigners here and just passing through. All our possessions and accomplishments here are irrelevant unless it builds up our faith and the kingdom.

 

Being born again is saying yes to Jesus Christ in all things and doing nothing but his will. We will not always get it right and we will fail at times. But we turn back and repent and continue to grow the faith we have been given and seek his will in all things.

 

The life of a person born again can look a lot like everyone else’s but looking closer it is obvious they have different motivations and different ideas of success and methods.

 

Accumulation and consumerism do not possess them. They use what they have been blessed with to build up the kingdom. To allow themselves to grow deeper in understanding of God and themselves.

 

Always seeking to increase the intimacy of their relationship with God. A relationship that comes first ahead of all others.

 

It’s not a one and done king of thing. But a new direction taken.

 

It reminds me of when I was 18 and joined the Navy. My whole life at that point changed and how I dressed, how I interacted with others, my decisions and choices on where I lived and even my relationships with all people in my life were impacted by being in the military and living a different life. Obeying a different set of rules and laws even while I had to live by civil laws too… meant to enable me to be a valuable member of my crew.

 

When we are living life for Jesus Christ …. It’s kind of like that. Whose we are and what we do and how we relate to others is all colored by joining his kingdom, his family. And we are recognized in the life we choose.

 

Jesus is offering a new way of living and working and loving.  What is characterizing our lifestyle today?

 

Our status? Our wealth? Our posssessions?

 

The invitation is always there to be more than superficial temporary things. But few say yes and fewer stay the course to the end.

 

Jesus is always looking for a few good men and women who can say yes with their whole life depending on it. For it does depend on it and living any other way will not lead us to heaven.