Daily Readings - Mon Apr 20 2020
Acts
23On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them.24When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. "Sovereign Lord," they said, "you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.25You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: "'Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?26The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One. '27Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed.28They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.29Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.30Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus."31After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
John
1Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council.2He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him."3In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again. "4"How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!"5Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.6Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.7You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.'8The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two profound encounters with the Holy Spirit, each highlighting its transformative power in the lives of believers. The first reading from Acts describes the early Christian community praying for boldness and strength after facing persecution. Their prayer is rooted in faith, acknowledging God's sovereignty and the fulfillment of His plan through the Holy Spirit. This prayer leads to a renewed outpouring of the Spirit, empowering them to speak God's word with confidence and courage. The second reading from John features Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus, where He explains the necessity of being "born anew" through water and the Spirit. This spiritual rebirth is not a physical transformation but a divine act that renews the heart and mind, allowing one to enter the Kingdom of God.
Both readings emphasize the Holy Spirit's essential role in the life of believers. In Acts, the Spirit empowers the disciples to witness boldly despite opposition, while in John, the Spirit brings about a new spiritual life. This connection underscores the Spirit's dual role: as a source of strength for mission and as the agent of inner transformation. The early Christians' prayer and Nicodemus' dialogue with Jesus remind us that the Spirit's work is both communal and personal, binding us together in faith while individually transforming our hearts.
As we reflect on these readings, we are called to trust in the Holy Spirit's power in our own lives. Like the early Christians, we may face challenges that require boldness and courage, and like Nicodemus, we may encounter moments where we need to embrace spiritual renewal. The moral lesson here is the importance of openness to the Spirit's work. Whether we are seeking strength to face trials or a deeper transformation of our inner lives, the Holy Spirit is ever-present, guiding us and empowering us to live as children of God. Let us, therefore, approach each day with a willingness to be led by the Spirit, trusting in God's plan and allowing His grace to flow through us.