Daily Readings - Tue Apr 13 2021
Acts
32Then the multitude of believers were of one heart and one soul. Neither did anyone say that any of the things that he possessed were his own, but all things were common to them33And with great power, the Apostles were rendering testimony to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord. And great grace was in them all34And neither was anyone among them in need. For as many as were owners of fields or houses, selling these, were bringing the proceeds of the things that they were selling35and were placing it before the feet of the Apostles. Then it was divided to each one, just as he had need36Now Joseph, who the Apostles surnamed Barnabas (which is translated as ‘son of consolation’), who was a Levite of Cyprian descent37since he had land, he sold it, and he brought the proceeds and placed these at the feet of the Apostles
John
7You should not be amazed that I said to you: You must be born anew8The Spirit inspires where he wills. And you hear his voice, but you do not know where he comes from, or where he is going. So it is with all who are born of the Spirit.9Nicodemus responded and said to him, "How are these things able to be accomplished?10Jesus responded and said to him: "You are a teacher in Israel, and you are ignorant of these things11Amen, amen, I say to you, that we speak about what we know, and we testify about what we have seen. But you do not accept our testimony12If I have spoken to you about earthly things, and you have not believed, then how will you believe, if I will speak to you about heavenly things13And no one has ascended to heaven, except the one who descended from heaven: the Son of man who is in heaven14And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so also must the Son of man be lifted up15so that whoever believes in him may not perish, but may have eternal life
Sermon
The first reading from Acts describes the early Christian community, where believers shared everything in common, living with unity and generosity. This was not a communism forced by rule, but a free and joyful sharing inspired by their faith in the Resurrection of Jesus. The Apostles, filled with the Holy Spirit, testified to the power of Christ, and the community ensured that no one was in need. Barnabas, a Levite from Cyprus, exemplifies this spirit of selflessness by selling his land and giving the proceeds to the Apostles to support the community. This passage highlights the transformative power of faith and the call to live as one family in Christ.
In the Gospel, Jesus speaks to Nicodemus about the necessity of being "born anew" by the Spirit. Just as the Spirit moves freely, so too must our hearts be open to God’s grace. Jesus uses the image of the bronze serpent lifted up by Moses in the desert—a prefiguration of his own crucifixion—to illustrate how salvation comes through faith in him. The passage emphasizes that faith is not about understanding everything but trusting in God’s love and plan. Jesus’ words challenge Nicodemus, and us, to move beyond earthly thinking and embrace the heavenly reality of God’s love.
Both readings invite us to reflect on how we live out our faith. The early Christians in Acts show us that living as followers of Christ means sharing our lives and resources with others. The Gospel reminds us that this way of life is only possible when we are spiritually reborn, open to the Holy Spirit, and willing to trust in God’s plan. In our daily lives, we are called to imitate this selfless love and generosity, to trust in God’s providence, and to live as a community united in faith. Let us ask the Spirit to inspire us to live with such freedom and joy, that we might be witnesses to the power of Christ’s love in the world.