Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“Amen, amen, I say to you, unless one is born from above, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.”

 

Gospel Reading: 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.”

 

How can one find heaven with knowing heaven.  Jesus tells us today that “unless one is born from above, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.”  Christ is telling us that to see the kingdom, you must know the kingdom and you cannot know the kingdom unless you know God.  Christ tells us that we become acquainted with the Kingdom of God through our Baptism.  When we are baptized, we are baptized in both the water and of the Holy Spirit.  This creates our bond to our Father in Heaven.  This bond with God is again renewed during our confirmation.  Jesus tells us that this is not an earthly bond, but a heavenly bond.  A bond we can only find through our linkage with Him.  It is this bond with our Father in heaven that creates a longing or a desire to find the kingdom.  While Jesus tells us, “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.” While we cannot see God, we know he exists through his miracles, through the creation of life, and through the scriptures.  While we do not know where he comes from, we know that the Kingdom of God exists.  We should seek out this Kingdom in our life.  We should seek to create this Kingdom here on earth.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

My God, my Father in Heaven.

I know you through my baptism.

Through this baptism, I have found new life.

A new life which leads me to the Kingdom of God.

May I have the wisdom and fortitude to follow the winds of God.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon