Readings:
2 Chr 36:14-16, 19-23
Ps 137:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6
Eph 2:4-10
Jn 3:14-21
If I’ve heard it once, I’ve heard it a thousand times. If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it about the same number of times.
“It” is John 3:16, one of the most famous verses in the Bible: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” I first memorized it at the age of four, reciting it before a small Fundamentalist congregation.
That verse, from today’s Gospel reading, is a beautiful summary, from the lips of the Savior, of the heart of salvation. As Benedict XVI stated in the opening of his encyclical on love, “Being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction.”
And that is an apt description of the season of Lent: a transforming encounter with a person, the Son of God, who gives us life, direction, purpose.
Nicodemus, a Pharisee, sought out an encounter with Jesus. He came at night, fearful of being seen with Jesus. The nighttime, in John’s Gospel, symbolizes the spiritual darkness in which man lives apart from God, a theme introduced in the opening verses of John’s Gospel (Jn 1:4-5). This ruler of the Jews realized his need for spiritual light, readily confessing his belief that Jesus was “a teacher who has come from God.” Surely he must have been challenged by Jesus’ declaration that “whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.”
A decisive direction was presented to Nicodemus. Yet the Apostle John does not describe what reaction Nicodemus had to the words of Jesus; the secretive visitor seems to have silently disappeared back into the night. Perhaps St. John did not immediately reveal Nicodemus’s choice because Nicodemus, in a certain way, is each of us. We have met Jesus; we have sat at his feet; we have heard his words. What will we do?
This is one of so many brilliant qualities of the Fourth Gospel, which is a literary and spiritual icon offering a window into the mystery of Christ—and into the mystery of our own hearts. We can relate to Nicodemus, just as we can understand the joy of the woman at the well (Jn 4), the hunger of the crowds who followed Jesus (Jn 6), and the fear and anguish of Peter, who betrayed Jesus after the arrest in the garden (Jn 18). “Nicodemus,” wrote Monsignor Romano Guardini in his classic work, The Lord, “has been shaken by Jesus’ mysterious power; his wonderful teaching has struck home.” But, just like the woman at the well, the crowds, and Peter, there was at first bewilderment and confusion. He no longer wanted to be in the darkness, but he was not ready to step fully into the light. He would stay in the shadows for a while longer, pondering the person and words of Jesus.
But eventually Nicodemus did cautiously step forward a bit, coming to Jesus’ defense before his fellow Pharisees (Jn 7:50-52). But his appeal for fairness was met with suspicious anger. Perhaps he pondered again these words: “whoever lives the truth comes to the light…”
We meet Nicodemus again, after the Crucifixion. Pilate had given Joseph of Arimathea permission to remove and bury Christ’s body, and Nicodemus, “the one who had first come to him at night, also came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes weighing about one hundred pounds” (Jn 19:39). He was finally in the light completely, revealing himself as a disciple of the Son of Man who had been lifted up “so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”
Lent is a time to come into the light and to embrace the gift of eternal life. That’s worth hearing about a thousand times. Or more.
(This “Opening the Word” column originally appeared in the March 22, 2009, issue of Our Sunday Visitor newspaper.)
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Nicodemus’ story is the story of many of us. Thank you for this meditation.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son”. Your advantage was, being a Midwesterner?, Fundamentalist Protestant. We deprived [victimhood is trending] in Brooklyn hadn’t that familiarity with the riches of sacred scripture. Mass was in speedily recited Latin, incomprehensible. Knowledge was morals taught by nuns. However, God provides for the impoverished. Around 2006 on a mission visit to a Maasai village I asked a warrior what the blackened substance was piled near Acacia trees. He said they were preparing the Acacia gum to make incense for income. 100 lbs of myrrh and aloes likely cost Nicodemus a small fortune. Whatever Crucifixion meant for him Christ was worth it. And the women although their faith shaken sought to anoint his body with fragrant balms. Joseph was sold into slavery to Arabs en route to Egypt to sell their Acacia incense. Virtual death real death, incense, myrrh both used extensively in the best of Catholic liturgy. Myrrh added to olive oil blessed at Chrism Mass Holy Week fragrant sign of the Holy Spirit. After the bishop blesses the Chrism it’s incensed, the sign of the divinity fragrance of both wafting into the congregation. Mourning and death, love and hope brought to vivid light at the Resurrection.
” Knowledge was morals taught by nuns.”
I have to say that I am thankful that in my long ago youth morals was taught by nuns, and priests. That seems to no longer be the case, and is reflected today in what Catholics believe, and do not believe.
Crusader these nuns were smart. They also taught theological principles in simple, understandable terms for us kids. For example, one I’ll never forget, God is infinitely good, and deserving of all our love.
Yes, indeed, they were smart and did teach us morals and theological principles and I thank God that I experienced their lessons. Having said that, what I don’t remember them teaching (though perhaps they did and I wasn’t paying attention) was that “Being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice…but an encounter with…a person, which gives life….” For this lesson, I am so thankful for Pope Benedict, an awesome and saintly teacher.
Tom the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart were demanding, and explanatory. Regarding the Mass at 7 years old I understood the basic outline, especially the Eucharist and consecration. Unfortunately during Mass some priests rushed the Latin recitation of the Mass. Their Latin pronunciation was poor. Even if I knew Latin then as I do now [I’ve translated large portions of the critical Leonine edition of the Summa Theologiae for my doctorate, and I offer all my private Masses in Latin], I wouldn’t be able to follow the blur of sounds. For those who are distressed because of that, I well understand.
The reason why the essence of Love, of Life, and of Marriage is under attack, is because the essence of God, The Ordered Communion Of Perfect Love, The Most Holy And Undivided Blessed Trinity Is under attack.
Every sexual disorder must be seen in light of the physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual disorder that exists alongside it.
Failure to respect the inherent Dignity of the essence of the human person as a beloved son or daughter, leads to the inability to see themselves as God sees them , worthy of being treated with authentic Life-affirming and Life-sustaining Love, in private and in public.
“When the freedom to be creative becomes the freedom to create oneself, then necessarily the Maker himself is denied and ultimately man too is stripped of his dignity as a creature of God, as the image of God at the core of his being. The defence of the family is about man himself. And it becomes clear that when God is denied, human dignity also disappears. Whoever defends God is defending man.” – Pope Benedict’s Christmas Address 2012
At the heart of Liberty Is Christ, “4For it is impossible for those who were once illuminated, have tasted also the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5Have moreover tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come…”, to not believe that Christ’s Sacrifice On The Cross will lead us to Salvation, but we must desire forgiveness for our sins, and accept Salvational Love, God’s Gift Of Grace And Mercy; believe in The Power And The Glory Of Salvation Love, and rejoice in the fact that No Greater Love Is There Than This, To Desire Salvation For One’s Beloved. “Hail The Cross, Our Only Hope.”
“Blessed are they who are Called to The Marriage Supper Of The Lamb.”
“For where your treasure is there will your heart be also.”
“Behold your Mother.” – Christ On The Cross
Therein lies the schism of those who are attempting to remain in Christ’s Church, while denying The Blessed Trinity, Through The Unity Of The Holy Ghost (Filioque), Is The Author Of Love, Of Life, And Of Marriage, because they desire to render onto Caesar of themselves, what belongs to God.
At the heart of Liberty Is Christ, “4For it is impossible for those who were once illuminated, have tasted also the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5Have moreover tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come…”, to not believe that Christ’s Sacrifice On The Cross will lead us to Salvation, but we must desire forgiveness for our sins, and accept Salvational Love, God’s Gift Of Grace And Mercy; believe in The Power And The Glory Of Salvation Love, and rejoice in the fact that No Greater Love Is There Than This, To Desire Salvation For One’s Beloved. “Hail The Cross, Our Only Hope.”
“Blessed are they who are Called to The Marriage Supper Of The Lamb.”
“For where your treasure is there will your heart be also.”
“Behold your Mother.” – Christ On The Cross
That sarcastic tone was uncalled for.
So Mass was incomprehensible because said in language one did/does not understand.
This us a wonderful meditation. In a way, envy Nicodemus… but not completely: https://onepeterfive.com/on-not-seeing-and-believing/
Jesus received Nicodemus ,despite the lateness of the hour, because he was an honest inquirer not full of tricks like other pharisees. He had seen the miracles and knew Jesus was from God but wanted to know more. The Lord was patent with him when he became confused and explained at length. When Jesus was brought before the Sanhedrin Nicodemus was doubtless afraid but he spoke up anyway if weakly. Notice that there were none of the apostles there! When appearing before Pilate to claim Jesus body he may have been afraid but his actions as our author points out were bold and fully in the open. Nicodemus was cautious at first and probably always afraid but he was never a coward. Thank you Father Morello for pointing out the expense Nicodemus went to for the burial. I had not noticed that before. Let us all pray that if we are ever afraid we will have courage to do what we should anyway.
We read: “Being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction.”
AND, “What will we do?” We will either do what we now believe, or believe what we still do.
Thanks, Carl. Very well stated. Interesting comments.