Daily Readings - Tue Apr 30 2019
Acts
32Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common.33And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.34There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold35and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.36Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus,37sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet.
John
7Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'8The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."9Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things be?"10Jesus answered him, "Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things?11Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony.12If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?13No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,15that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the transformative power of faith and the call to live as a community united in love and generosity. In the first reading from Acts, we see the early Christian community living in harmony, sharing their possessions, and ensuring that no one was in need. This was not a communism born of obligation but a radical expression of their faith in the Risen Christ. The Apostles, filled with the Holy Spirit, bore witness to the Resurrection, and the people, in turn, bore witness to their faith through their actions. This passage reminds us that true faith is not just about words but about how we live and share the blessings we have received.
In the Gospel, Jesus speaks to Nicodemus about the necessity of being "born anew" by the Spirit. Jesus emphasizes that the Spirit moves freely and mysteriously, and those who are born of the Spirit will reflect this in their lives. He then lifts Nicodemus' gaze to heaven, pointing to himself as the Son of Man who must be "lifted up" for the salvation of the world. This exchange challenges us to move beyond superficial understanding and to embrace the profound truth of God's love revealed in Jesus Christ. Just as the serpent was lifted up in the desert to bring healing, so too is Jesus lifted up on the cross to bring eternal life to all who believe.
These readings are deeply connected. The early Christian community in Acts was able to live with such radical generosity because they had been born anew by the Spirit and had accepted the testimony of Jesus. Their unity and selflessness were not just human efforts but the fruit of the Spirit working in them. For us today, the readings call us to examine how we are living out our faith. Are we allowing the Spirit to move freely in our lives? Are we sharing the blessings we have received with those in need? Let us ask for the grace to be born anew and to live in such a way that our actions bear witness to the love and truth of the Gospel.