Daily Readings - Mon Apr 28 2025
Acts
23When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them.24And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, "Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them,25who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, "'Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain?26The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed'--27for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,28to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.29And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness,30while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus."31And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.
John
1Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.2This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him."3Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."4Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?"5Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.6That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.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."
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the power of faith, prayer, and the transformative work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. In the first reading from Acts, we see the early Christian community responding to persecution with unity and trust in God. After being released from imprisonment, the apostles gather with their fellow believers and pray for courage and strength. Their prayer is not one of fear or retreat but of boldness and confidence in God’s plan. They acknowledge God as the creator of all things and recall how He has always been faithful, even in the face of opposition. Their prayer is answered with a tangible outpouring of the Holy Spirit, empowering them to continue their mission.
In the Gospel, Jesus speaks to Nicodemus, a Pharisee and leader of the Jews, about the necessity of being "born anew" through water and the Holy Spirit. Nicodemus struggles to understand how this is possible, thinking in literal terms, but Jesus explains that this is a spiritual rebirth. Just as the wind blows where it wills, the Spirit works mysteriously, bringing new life to those who are open to it. This conversation highlights the profound truth that our relationship with God is not just about outward observance but about an inner transformation that only the Spirit can bring.
These readings remind us that our faith is not a solo journey but one that is deeply connected to the community and to the work of the Holy Spirit. Like the early Christians, we are called to face challenges with courage and to trust in God’s providence. Like Nicodemus, we are invited to move beyond our limited understanding and to embrace the mystery of God’s grace. May we, too, be filled with the Holy Spirit, that we might live with confidence, speak with boldness, and be open to the new life God desires to bring forth in us.