By Praveen Bandula csc –
Readings: Acts 4: 23-31; Jn 3: 1-8
Through today’s gospel reading the difference between the spirit and flesh is explained to us by Jesus. A person who is born of flesh will remain with flesh. His life will be filled with thoughts, words and deeds of flesh. He may not see a life beyond flesh and its desires.
The world is very attractive and seductive. It offers so many pleasures related to flesh. Our sense organs always look for something that pleases them. But a person who is of full of spirit sees that flesh is not more important than the spirit. The spirit seeks the inner joy that comes out of pure thoughts, words and deeds. If we want to experience the presence of God within ourselves, we must overcome flesh and remain in good spirit.
By using the metaphor ‘born again’ Jesus wants to remind us that there is second chance of beginning new life for everyone. Sometimes we may find our lives not worth living because of our past. Remaining in the past does not give us the solution to become a new person. If we are disappointed with old way of life here is the invitation to be born again in the Spirit. As we are in the season of Easter, it is the right time for all of us to bury the old ways of living which led us into the pleasures of the flesh. Let us rise from old life and begin anew in the Holy Spirit, then all of us are welcomed to the kingdom of God.