predication.net

We often hear on the radio how different organizations or people publish their `Magna Charta,’ which is loosely translated: their plan of inner attitude to action. In today’s first reading, we also heard about one such charter. It was not, however, issued by any secular organization but was spoken by the apostles concerning those who were to become deacons: `Let us seek out from among ourselves seven approved men, full of the Spirit and wisdom.'” So, these are the three basic requirements.

A proven man – who is that in today’s world? One who passes the lustration of the law? One who has been vetted and cleared by the National Security Bureau? One who is not found in the files of the FBI?

That would be a proven man by mundane criteria. But an established man of Scripture is a man of discernment, truthfulness, steadfastness in speech and deed, and above all, humility. According to the world, a wise man should have at least three doctorates and be a professor. The apostles, however, emphasized wisdom not learned but lived: the knowledge of the heart. The Spirit is full of love, forgiveness, mercy, and justice.

This is what a deacon should be, but all Christians should be. These are the conditions that must be present, not just in deacons but in all of us, because we are all called to ministry in our way.

A beautiful example of this was one of the deacons we read about – St. Stephen. A man of proven worth, who, with the wisdom of the heart that surpassed the knowledge of the scribes’ minds, praised and glorified God and followed the Truth, even when it cost him his life.

In the words of John Paul II: “Do not be afraid”; let us also strive to become men of wisdom, proven and full of the Spirit. 

Indeed we have all had the experience that even though we have sound hearing, we have not heard. We already observe that when children are preoccupied with play, they do not respond to being addressed. They don’t listen. In love, not only do they not see or hear, we say they have a world of their own. In middle-aged people, it is possible to observe that they live in a hurry of their own making and do not hear not only the voices of their dear ones in their surroundings, their pleas, their wishes, but equally, they do not listen to the voice of their conscience. It is also possible to observe in the elderly that although their ears still serve them well, they can hear well, yet they do not hear. God speaks to them through things, events, and people, and they behave as if they were to live here for another hundred years.
The Easter season is a call from the Risen Christ to be more aware of and practice his calls necessary for our salvation in our lives.

The last words of the Risen Christ in today’s Gospel are not addressed only to Peter but to each one of us. Jesus invites us to “Follow me.” (Jn 21:19)!

The Gospels speak of listening, of the importance and the need to know, to want to hear Christ: “All who heard him were amazed at his understanding.” (Lk 2:47). “The people hung on him and listened to him” (Lk. 19:48). “He who is of God hears the words of God. You do not listen because you are not of God” (Jn. 8:47).
For three years, the disciples and the crowd listened to Jesus. He spoke as no one had spoken before him. After the resurrection, the Lord Jesus addresses the disciples again. He appeared to them at the Sea of Tiberias, now called Tabgha, near Capernaum, when the seven disciples, led by Peter, were fishing. They were fishermen and had to live on something as human beings. Just as they had three years earlier when Jesus had chosen them as disciples, they toiled all night and caught nothing. In the morning silence, Jesus addressed them from the shore, “Children, have you anything to eat?” They answered him: “We have none.” He said to them: “Let down the net from the right side of the boat, and you will find. They let down the net, and because of the multitude of fish, they could not pull it in.” (Jn. 21:5-6). The apostle John writes of himself: “The disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter: “This is the Lord'” (Jn. 21:7). John heard the words of Jesus, but it was not until he was over the full net that he realized that it was Jesus who had addressed them from the shore. The apostle Peter also heard Jesus and also saw the full net of fish, but it is only at John’s words that he realizes that Jesus is standing on the shore. And his behavior? What follows? “As soon as Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girded on his clothes – for he was naked – and jumped into the sea. The other disciples came in the boat…” (Jn. 21:7-8). In the response of the two apostles, we can trace a message of faith and love that can be expressed in the words, “Love that you may believe and believe that you may love.” John is full of love for Christ. Even when he stood under the cross of Christ, he did not stop loving. Love opened the eyes of John’s heart. He did not doubt that the voice from the shore belonged to Jesus. The words of John, the testimony of John, awakened the faith in Peter. They both remembered the miraculous fishing. Then Peter tried to object: “…we toiled all night and caught nothing.” (Luke 5:5). Since then, only three years have passed, and much has changed in Peter’s life. God’s grace had touched his heart. And that is why he now acts as he does. He doesn’t wait until they come with the little boat to the shore. He hurries. He believes in loving… The two disciples hear Jesus’ voice and respond. That’s not all Jesus has to say to them at that moment. Peter doesn’t know that Jesus is going to ask him three questions in this third encounter, questions to which Jesus wants a clear answer. Jesus asks Simon, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” (Jn. 21:15, 16, 17)? Three times Peter denied Jesus in Pilate’s courtyard. Three times he answers, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” “Lord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest well that I love thee.” (Jn. 21:15, 16, 17). Jesus does not criticize Peter for his denial; on the contrary, Jesus is not speaking to John, his most beloved apostle, but to Peter: “Feed my lambs.” “Feed my sheep!” “Feed my sheep! Verily, when you were younger, I say unto you that you girded thyself and wentest whithersoever you wouldest. But when thou art old, thou stretchest forth thy hands, another girdeth thee, and leadeth thee whither thou wilt not.” (Jn. 21:15, 16, 17-18). Jesus establishes Peter as the rock of faith. To believe is also to love. It is impossible to fulfill our duties properly without love. Every person belongs to God. Jesus entrusts Peter with the care of every man. The Apostle St. James, who was present at this event, writes: “… even the devils believe and tremble.” (Jas 2:19). We understand this to mean that one cannot believe in Christ and fear Him. The righteous lives by faith. God is love.

Jesus is waiting for our response. It is impossible to stop our ears before the Word of God, to not give an answer with our lives. God speaks to us through the voice of our conscience, through the Church, through people, things, and events. Later, when Peter is under investigation, when he is strictly forbidden to teach in Jesus’ name, he confesses: “God is to be obeyed more than men.” (Acts 5:29). Peter hears Christ and responds as Christ expects him to.
The Easter season demands the same of each of us. “Love to believe and believe in loving!”
Listen to God and respond as God asks. Jesus died for our sins. Today we realize the importance and need to learn to listen to God in our lives and respond rightly, not only with words but also with thoughts and actions. A child does not listen to his parents’ words, perhaps responding to the third or fourth address. How does he love his parents? The student does not listen to the teacher. Can he receive praise? When a car driver does not listen to the running of the car engine, he may mess up his car. If an athlete, a runner, does not follow the starter’s spot, can he stand on the podium? And if we care about listening in our ordinary social, sporting, cultural life, and shouldn’t in our spiritual life? Listen to save my soul. To listen and respond appropriately to the demands made. To obey means for us to do everything in our lives to fulfill what God asks of us. “Follow me” (Jn 21:19)! The call of Jesus to each one of us. An invitation that is not limited by time, space, place, and people.

The journal L Éncyclopedie de la vie pratique (Encyclopedia of Practical Life) states that the average person, in his 70 years of life, devotes: 8 years to study and education, nine years to entertainment, three years to bodily hygiene, six years to eating, five years to walking, 11 years to work, four years to reading, 24 years to sleep and rest.
We realize that whatever we do is for our salvation. All our activity is to be a response to God’s address. The Solemnity of the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus is to remind us annually of the change of life towards God. It is meant to turn from darkness to light, from the fear, futility, and unreasonableness of the night of life to new hope, a new future. May whenever Jesus steps onto the shore of our lives, a recent morning begins there. Their life gains meaning and center. It is fitting, therefore, that we ask ourselves not only questions about where to look for the risen Christ, how to know him, what he wants from me, what to do so that I do not miss him but let us notice that the risen Jesus comes to us; Jesus addresses us, gives us counsel…

Easter also requires us to answer the questions. Do I do his words? Do I trust that Jesus knows what I need? Do I belong to those who believe that Jesus can give better advice? Jesus is also interested in the material things of his faithful. He prepared bread and fish for the disciples on the shore. Thus, to believe and love God is not only to be concerned about spiritual things but also to live with Christ to pursue material things. Even in such areas as death and sickness.
Hospital. Award for women. A dying woman. Everyone around the woman knows she is dying. Even she knows it. The priest present wants to prepare her to meet God the Judge. Only she is adamant. She dies unreconciled to God. God speaks to her, but she doesn’t want him; she can no longer hear, even with healthy ears. God has been so close to her and yet so far away at the same time.
Another example. She was only thirteen years old. During the conversation, she remarked: “I have to move away. I’m going to go get a shot.” Is she sick? Something serious? She has diabetes. She talked about her father when she returned: “I love my father very much. I used to sit on his lap as a little girl. I loved him even though he would come home drunk. I often prayed for him. One day I said to God, ‘God, I pray for my father that he will not drink anymore. The remedy did not come. A year ago, I prayed like this: God, you know how much I love him. If it is Your will, let me be sick, but let my father get well and stop drinking alcohol. Dad changed that year. He doesn’t drink anymore. He goes to a meeting of ex-alcoholics. I pray for him to persevere.” She said this with such peace on her face, happy that Dad was with Mom and her again, that there was peace in their home. I realized that God had heard her. Why so literally? Because that year, the girl got diabetes. She is only thirteen years old.
God is listening. Are we listening to God?
We know the words of the American officer Claude Katherly, who dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima on 6 August 1945, who fell into a state of mental neurasthenia and, as a result of a permanent conflict of conscience, attempted suicide twice: “I dream incessantly that I am haunted by the thousands killed, the screams of the mutilated disturb me for days, and the shadows of the slaughtered mar my eyes.” He killed 78,000 people. Doctors tried to cure the patient, but unsuccessfully.

Jesus triumphed over death. We accept this fact, which becomes our encouragement for the next life. We not only hear about the resurrection, but we live it.

Have you ever been hungry? Indeed, everyone knows this unpleasant feeling. Although we cannot speak of hunger and starvation in the true sense of the word because our tables are complete, we can speak boldly of spiritual longing. We need to get rid of this spiritual hunger as well.

Let us be encouraged by the words and deeds of Jesus. The Gospel of the miraculous bread multiplication provokes various reflections in us. First of all, it affirms the Lord Jesus’s power. After this act of Jesus, they could rightly exclaim: “This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.” (Jn 6:14). But at the same time, this miracle forces the apostles to reflect. The Lord Jesus did it not only to feed a hungry crowd but also to prepare the apostles for the difficulties that await them in their lives as followers and spreaders of the teachings of Jesus. When problems, troubles, and hardships would come in their lives, they would have to suffer for him, make sacrifices for him, and remember that Jesus is both Prophet and Messiah, who is mighty in word and deed. And this will have to strengthen them in their faith.

Above all, this miracle has a profound theological significance, where the multiplication of the bread becomes a foreshadowing – a symbol of the other bread of which the Lord Jesus speaks later in the Gospel of St. John: “Whoever eats this bread will live forever.” (Jn 6:58).

The Lord Jesus points to the close relationship between the ordinary bread and His Sacred Body. We must remember that it was tough for the apostles and those who witnessed these events to understand what Jesus was explaining to them.
This event took place shortly before the feast of the Passover, which for the Jews was a remembrance of the supper before the exodus from Egypt, which was a symbol of man’s union with God. It is essential to realize what we are thereby receiving from God. The apostles did not understand this. It could not be understood or explained by human reason, and a higher power must intervene here – the power of God. And God acts. It’s strange. When He left Egypt, He fed the multitudes in the wilderness with manna. Everybody had enough. Now they have collected twelve baskets of crumbs. Notice that Jesus commands them to gather the crumbs. He also considers these as bread and will not allow them to be destroyed. The number of those present should also be noted. There were about five thousand men alone. Let us bring this event into our spiritual life. Even today, Jesus wants to manifest His power. How often has He fed us with His word, making us feel so happy that we wanted to say: Stand a moment, how beautiful you are!

We have witnessed beautiful celebrations, whether it was a first communion, a confirmation, a beautiful sermon, or a pilgrimage. We felt that Jesus does not feed us with perishable bread but spiritual bread. We felt happier, even physically healthier. Jesus wanted to prepare us as his apostles for the moment when difficulties come so that when we remember him, we can give ourselves strength, courage, the will to struggle with problems, etc. But even in the crowd in the wilderness, some took a drink, listened to the Lord Jesus, or a kind of vegetation and went away. …and let’s not be surprised that something similar is happening today.
If Jesus did miracles all the time, do you think they would believe? No. Faith gives us enough matter to be fed and strengthened by Christ constantly. Who keeps us from frequent access to the sacraments? Who is forbidden even to go to Mass more often? No one. This is just our excuse: the Church does not command it; it is enough to go to confession once a year, to Mass once a week.
Behold, in one thing, on the one hand, a terrible minimum and, on the other hand, often exaggerated demands. A difficulty comes, and they want everything from God for one Mass, even for one O t h e n an s e. And when they do not, there is no end to the insults to God, the Church, and those who do their duty. It is like someone who eats only once a week, would like to eat all the time, but… Proverbs says: “He who does not work, let him not eat.” Even St. Paul the Apostle tells the exact words to the first Christians. And it is true for us today. Whoever does not strive, does not work on himself, does not strengthen himself with the Body of Christ, what does he want?

The Lord Jesus also said these words: “From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take possession of it.” (Mt. 11:12). It would be an exaggerated comfort or exploitation if someone wanted to be served all the time, even in bed.
We see something similar in spiritual satiation. Some want to be content with listening to Mass on the radio. Such a Mass does not pay. One who listens to Mass from the radio or watches it on television and is healthy, and can go to Mass in church, does not satisfy the Church’s command: On Sundays and the commanded feast to attend the entire Holy Mass. It should also be noted that because it happens, and it is always the same case that they are regularly the last to arrive at Holy Mass and the first to leave. Yes, health reasons, but what about other reasons? It is at Mass that one can be most strengthened, and therefore Mass also requires preparation, concentration, and the gathering of one’s thoughts. It should not be that someone regularly arrives late and still disturbs others when they arrange to sit down or even go up to the altar.

One confrère related that he was getting out of control, and when there was too much going on, he interrupted Mass and asked them to come on time. The lady he was addressing responded by telling him to be glad he was going to church! Can a person be content and empowered when he does not show even a minimum of extra sacrifice? Surely, we all want to be satisfied physically and mentally, so let us consider one another. Even if that happens, stay back under the choir.

For us, perhaps only rarely does the doctor state malnutrition. But more and more, the priest is finding this in many faithful. Malnutrition. Often just a hasty prayer O t h e n – I’m in a hurry to catch the bus. Every Friday is an excuse – they cook meat; what am I to starve! Don’t we know that an act of invention can be performed? And the deed takes less time than the actual eating of the meat. The excuse – however, I confess – also only leads to malnutrition. A person who does not have a regular diet and enough vitamins is irresistible and gets sick faster, similarly in the spiritual realm. Constantly “I don’t have time” is no longer modern. After all, we have time for other things! The Lord Jesus said: “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God!” (Mt. 4:4).

Many people are fond of solving puzzles, riddles, and crossword puzzles, not for financial or other material rewards but for their inner enrichment. Whoever among the faithful reads this Gospel puts himself in the role of a puzzle-solver, who can not only enrich himself for this world, but it can serve him for eternity as well. Let us consider it again.

Jesus said to Nicodemus: “He who comes from above is all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks earthly. He who comes from heaven is above all and bears witness to what he has seen and heard…” (Jn 3:31-32).

Those who compiled the liturgical texts omitted ten verses between yesterday’s and today’s Gospel text. In the previous text, John the Baptist bore witness to Jesus. In today’s again, the Lord Jesus speaks of a twofold witness. “He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks earthly” ( Jn 3:31). He was referring to John the Baptist. “He who comes from heaven is above all – he testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony” (Jn. 3:31-32). And that is Jesus.

From this, we know that a person can accept Christ and his words, but he can also reject them. Whoever gets them becomes a Christian and, at the same time, agrees with the Word of God. But this is not the end of the matter. There are challenges ahead for the Christian. We must communicate this knowledge of Christ to others. In the Gospel, then, we reveal the mystery of the person of the Lord Jesus, recognizing that he is God’s ambassador, the Savior of the world, and the Judge of all. We are all witnesses. Even John the Baptist is only a witness, even though we consider him the greatest born of woman because he introduced the Lord Jesus to us, revealed his person to us when he pointed to him and said: “This is the one…!” (Jn. 1:30).

The baptism we have received also flows for us the duty, like John the Baptist, to bear witness to Christ. This means that our words and our whole life are to speak of Christ. In doing so, the Christian must not put himself before Christ. Like John, the Christian is also to stand aside as a witness because he is only a mediating element between two parties. Let us ask God for the light of faith, that we may give a good testimony that is believable and does not obscure the truth.

Although we received baptism as children and did not realize its significance for our earthly and eternal life, we should multiply baptismal grace in the state of having acquired the use of reason and being aware of our responsibility to have free will. At the baptism of Christ in the Jordan River, the words were spoken: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Mt 3:17).

To know Christ is the duty of every baptized person. Prayer – conversation with Jesus, Holy Mass – encounter with Jesus, Sacrament – receiving Jesus. All this is not only our duty but also our necessity because in doing so, we fulfill what God rightly expects of us, but at the same time, we acquire the necessary merits without which salvation is impossible. From the earliest times of Christianity, the followers have called themselves Christians, among whom we also belong. We have a name after Christ, and hence the obligation that we should indeed bear witness to Christ after baptism.

There are many things in the faith that we will never know or know fully. Many things we accept and believe, and though we cannot explain them, we feel that it is not contrary to them that we cannot get them. The person of Christ is the pinnacle of our lives. St. Paul wrote on this subject: “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” (Gal 2:20).

Violence has always been, is, and will always be condemned by free people in all areas of life. Even if it sometimes seems that there is no success without violence, it is still necessary to stand up for the right view and opinion. History tells us that injustices and violence have also happened in the Church. Certain circles have waged so-called “holy” wars, even in the Church. Violence so understood is a hindrance, not progress. Also, the teachings of Christ delivered non-violently will surely attract more and also strengthen a person in the faith.

The personality of Nicodemus in the Gospel convinces us of the truth of this view. Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish high council, often visited Christ, but especially at night. In these meetings, the main topic was faith. Nicodemus became convinced that nothing is as essential for a person as faith. Christ explained to him that it is impossible to be like God without faith and that the victory in which the world triumphs is our faith. Nicodemus believed in Christ.

Today, the Church wants to point out to us the circumstances that should prepare us for a proper understanding of the truth of the death and resurrection of Christ. The Church wants us to be broken neither by suffering, by torture, nor by the end so that we may believe more in Christ, the Savior of the world.

We often read in the Gospels that Jesus, during his public appearances, usually demanded strong faith from his listeners. On this depended the way forward in following him. The Church wants to convince us of the significant role of religion in human life. It refers today to an event that once took place in the wilderness during the journey of the Jews from Egypt to their promised land (cf. Num. 21:5-9). On the way, they were attacked by poisonous snakes. It was then that the Israelites realized that this was a punishment from God for their grumbling. They begged Moses to beg mercy from God. According to God’s command, Moses made a brazen serpent, placed it on a pole, and declared that whoever looked at the snake with faith would be saved. And indeed he was. The brazen serpent mentioned in the Gospel is a picture and symbol of the hanging, dying man on the cross – Christ. His suffering and death cannot be the cause of our doubt or melancholy but, on the contrary, are meant to revive our faith and strengthen us in overcoming the difficulties that Christ must endure for us and so enter into his glory (cf. Lk 26:26).

As we reflect on the suffering and death of Christ at this time, we desire to be strengthened in our faith and to believe fully in Christ, and if we are supported in the conviction that God did not send His Son into the world that the world might perish, but that he who believes in Him might have eternal life. Thanks to Jesus Christ, we are saved by his suffering and death, which is not the dramatic end of his life, for it brings with it new life. He carries it to all who will believe in Jesus – willing to draw on his fruit, however painful. Let us look with faith to the cross of Christ on which, as the liturgy says, hung the salvation of the world.

As faith in the brazen serpent saved the serpent-bitten Israelites from death, today, that same faith will surely save us from eternal death and open the locked gate of redemption again. So let us believe! Let us, therefore, be in charge of our faith. Let us also realize today that faith is born in our human hearts, it develops in them, and like a bit of plant, it grows and matures. It may sometimes wither and fade with time, but it will never perish if it leans on Christ! The Church does not want to lead us by the hand of Christ so that we may see in Him the answer to the problems of our faith. We can say that the sufferings of Christ determine for us a kind of invitation to faith. It wants to lead us to reflect and propose that the righteous man lives by faith and that his faith is nothing other than a response to God’s call.

The liturgy of the Mass today shows us the despised and afflicted Christ bearing the cross for our sins and Christ falling beneath the cross for our weaknesses and saying: You must believe in this Christ! If you choose this faith, you will not commit an error, for it will be your testimony of maturity and inner spiritual strength. You will thereby present to the world a personal testimony that neither life, nor death, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor strength, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (cf. Rom. 8:38-39). We can boldly say that the suffering of Christ does not cause us to fear. Our faith will not be an abandonment of reason; on the contrary, it will empower us. This agrees with what St. John wrote in his First Letter: “And our faith is the victory that has overcome the world.” (1 Jn 5:4).

In 1976 in Rome, Catholics met with murderers, Protestants in the spirit of ecumenism, whose predecessors had murdered John Ogilvie. Ogilvie was an Anglican, brought up in the Protestant-Calvinist spirit. His parents were upper class, and John was educated in France. Here he encountered Catholic teachings and converted at the age of 17. At home in Olomouc, he applied to join the religious order. In Brno, he did his novitiate. Then he returned to his homeland, where there was a substantial departure from Rome.

They were intoxicated by the spirit of the renegade Henry VIII. He suspects what awaits him here. He has prepared himself well, and under the protection of the Virgin Mary, he returns as a merchant to his homeland. Variously disguised, he teaches, administers the sacraments, and makes contact even with Protestants. Wherever he sets foot, he gains. He does much; he says little. Who can count what he has accomplished under the protection of Our Lady? The words of Scripture are actual of him, too: “No pupil is above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.” (Mt 10:24).

The hour of trial had come. John was caught. He was put through severe retraining, where he could not be broken by words, nor by promises, nor by flattery, nor by the dungeon. “No, I am not a traitor!” He was not concerned with politics but with his soul. For eight days, they investigated him in one stroke: where, what, how, why… John remained silent. When he couldn’t stand it, they tortured him. Finally – death by hanging. He dies at the age of 36.

Centuries later, his right path in life is revealed. Confirmed again: “Do not fear those who can kill the body but not the soul!” (Mt 10:28). We have believed in Christ; we are Christians, deepening our union with the suffering Christ. Constantine received the announcement: in this sign, you will overcome! It was the sign of the cross. He overcame. Only in the movement of the cross will we also overcome sin, ourselves, and the world.

There is only one point of exception that violence does not attract, does not entice, and that is in the words of Christ: Heaven is gained only by violence. By violence to oneself. By greater self-control, by control, by study, by personal witness.

We cannot imagine the progress of humanity without signs. Signs are not only various drawings but also writing, notes, various objects, words, thoughts…
The Gospel says: “As Moses lifted the serpent in the wilderness, even so, must the Son of Man be lifted, that whoever believes may have eternal life in him.” (Jn 3:14).

As the chosen nation was making its way from slavery in Egypt to the promised land of Canaan, the country in the wilderness under the leadership of Moses often went against God’s will. The people often murmured. During one such grumbling, God sent poisonous snakes upon the Jews. This bit the people, and the nation realized that it had offended God. Therefore, they turn to Moses and ask him to plead with God to save them from the horrible death of being bitten by snakes. God then instructed Moses to hang a snake on a pole, which he was to cast out of brass. When he did so, everyone who touched or gazed upon this serpent of brass, even though bitten by snakes, did not die.
These people were saved through the Savior and Redeemer of all people, Jesus Christ. When Christ was dying on the cross, He was nailing the power of evil, the power of sin, to the cross at that time. The cross became the source of a new life for us; it became the source of healing.

This event wants to tell us that whoever looks at the crucified Christ would like to find eternal life. It is essential to take the time to look at the crucified Christ. When his gaze meets ours, it will pierce our pride, and we will feel the power of healing.
This is Jesus’ answer to Nicodemus’ question: “How can this be?” (cf. Jn 3:9). Nicodemus was troubled; he did not yet understand how a person could believe and be born again of the Holy Spirit. This is the moment when one wants to solve everything by oneself, that is, before the illumination of the Holy Spirit. Jesus wants Nicodemus to believe in the redemptive death of the Lord Jesus. Just as those bitten by snakes and by looking at the brazen serpent were healed, anyone who looks with faith at the crucified Christ will gain eternal life, be healed, saved, and redeemed. As the Lord Jesus’ death on the cross was a necessary entrance into His glory, so for man, faith is the condition for attaining justification of sins before God, through being born again of the Spirit through baptism and attaining recognition in heaven.

Not only does the sacrament of baptism become for us the gateway to eternal life, but in this sacrament, we are also forgiven of all our sins committed before baptism. By the grace of baptism, we regain what our grandparents lost by their disobedience in Paradise. When we renew our baptismal vows, for example, in the church community at First Communion on White Saturday, we realize that we renounce all sin, confess our faith, and grow in our friendship with God. This, then, is our witness expressed in gestures, in words, and behind all this is something invisible to our eyes and yet so necessary for our life of faith – contact with God: this is what unites us and makes us true brothers and sisters of the Lord Jesus. In this, we see lovely progress that does not meet its goal here on earth but one day in eternity.

We have completed the Easter octave of the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus. We will live the Easter season until the Feast of the Sending of the Holy Spirit, which is on the fiftieth day after the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus. We will talk about the current theme of the Easter season, and that is the Sacrament of Baptism.

Jesus, in meeting Nicodemus, said: “Truly, truly, I say this: Except a man be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (Jn 3:5).

This third chapter of the Gospel of St. John the Apostle may also be called the “baptismal catechesis,” the instruction on the sacrament of baptism. We are served by Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish high council, a man of learning, a man of respectability, who does not content himself with what the high board is brought by its informers about the teachings of Christ, the wandering teacher, but visits Jesus himself and converses with him. He is so impressed by the conversation that he comes again to Jesus under cover of darkness. And so we can say that here begins the faith that Christ’s miracles have inspired in him. Nicodemus was a man longing for the truth. Therefore, Jesus sees this and seeks to initiate Nicodemus into the mystery of salvation. And this is what Nicodemus was after, for he would not have called Jesus a teacher otherwise. In the conversation they have with each other, we learn, thanks to Nicodemus, that entrance into the kingdom of God is only possible through the rebirth of water and the Holy Spirit, that is, thanks to the sacrament of baptism. There is a new birth, a new life – a supernatural life. Nicodemus at first mistakenly thinks that something absurd is involved here – to be born again bodily. However, this is not a physical rebirth but a spiritual rebirth thanks to water, which symbolizes life. This visible sign, the baptism of regeneration, means that the Holy Spirit stirs up a new life, a new life-principle, namely, sanctifying grace, in the baptized person, and it is by this that the carnal person becomes spiritual, that is, filled with the Holy Spirit.

We believe Christians speak of a double existence; we have received a spiritual reality from our parents. This act is a matter of faith. It is a mystery to us.
However, we see various mysteries in the surrounding nature, for example, the wind blowing wherever it wants without our consent. So also, the Holy Spirit opens the way for us into a new life without our permission. To be born of the Holy Spirit is to receive the inspiration of God and to believe in God. Only when one decides in faith to receive the Holy Spirit is born again of the Holy Spirit without merit. This means that we can only receive baptism once in our lives. Still, the grace that was initiated in baptism can be multiplied and regained in the Sacrament of Reconciliation when we set our consciences in order.

We must constantly strive to renew the baptismal grace we have received, increase it, and grow spiritually.
We know that Nicodemus did not understand this on his first encounter with Christ. He went away that night, and yet it was a significant night not only for him but for us, for just as the moment had come for Nicodemus that after his death, he would not only stand up for Christ in the high place, but he would ask Pilate himself for the handing over of the dead body of the Lord Jesus.

In our own lives, too, we have had a moment when we have not only been willing to give up many things, events, and persons for our spiritual growth, but in doing so, we have also discovered that what is not connected to Christ has no value or meaning for us.

Let us often remind ourselves of the value of our baptism. Let us remember with gratitude our parents, our godparents, and the priest who baptized us, for then he gave us a great treasure that opens the gates of heaven. Let us also pray for ourselves that we may never lose the grace of baptism.

In this Easter season, may we grow in our awareness that we have been reborn to new life through baptism?

The saying goes: “Repetition is the mother of wisdom.” We know that whoever wants to achieve something great must often start, again and again, overcoming initial setbacks and difficulties, and only then can we speak of victory.
The passage from the Gospel draws our attention to the actions of Christ after his resurrection. Jesus reproached them for their unbelief and hardness of heart. From these words of Jesus, we can feel the instruction and encouragement for us in our struggles for a deeper faith, for a more powerful clinging to Christ.

This Gospel passage is from Mark’s appendix. He recounts the Lord Jesus’ revelations from the other Gospels after his resurrection, first to Mary Magdalene, the two disciples of Emmaus, and finally to the eleven apostles at the table.
Jesus, after His resurrection, has to start from the beginning with his disciples. All the enthusiasm and zeal of the three years they spent with Jesus evaporated. But Jesus frees his apostles from sorrow and despair, and even here, we encounter absolute unbelief, a hardness of heart for the apostles because they did not believe those who had seen the risen Christ. Jesus again approaches the apostles and awakens faith in them in this small group of people because he knows that they will soon become the foundation of the future Church. Even this doubt of theirs will serve to bring many to accept the faith and teachings of Christ. Therefore, it is as if Jesus is working again to arouse the shaken faith of His apostles. Mark, in his Gospel, uses the words – to all creation. In this designation, we can say that it is missionary terminology used by Christians from paganism, where we understand that all people, all product is to meet the proclamation of the gospel and be transformed for us.

This gospel is a kind of struggle of Jesus for Peter, John, and Thomas, but it is also a struggle for us. We have not seen Jesus; we have not touched his pierced hands and side, yet, we believe. Why? Because Jesus has reached out to us and wrestled with us as with his first apostles. And so, he invites us to follow him, bear witness, and multiply with pride the ranks of those who from the beginning have believed in the one, universal, apostolic Church. Whoever believes in Christ must also persevere in him and strive to come out of doubt and cowardice because this is how Christ wants us to be.

Christ wants us to be soulful and joyful proclaimers of the good news. This is our task. Everyone who has received baptism also accepts this task. Whoever wants to carry out this task must believe and not doubt. Jesus rebukes unbelief. His disciple must not be an unbeliever. We believe Christians who have been incarnated to Christ by baptism have become his apostles. We, therefore, have a duty to witness to Christ. It is not enough to remain with theory.

How and when are we to witness it? We must remind ourselves again that a good example is an essential way of proving by our lives that we are imbued with faith in the glorified Lord Jesus. We must not underestimate this way of the apostolate. The apostolate of the word is correct, but we know that the world does not believe much in terms but wants deeds. We believe that life is more powerful than words.

From the life of St. Francis of Assisi, we know the lesson. He once invited one of his confrères, a well-known and renowned preacher, to preach. From the morning, this brother walked with Francis through the city’s streets. In the evening, he was already impatient, asking Francis when he would preach. Then Francis said to him gravely: “My brother, you have been preaching to those we meet since morning.”

And behold, what does this mean for the practice of our lives? We are to set the example in our own lives, first, our own families. Parents to children, husband to wife, wife to husband, and then to everyone else, no one excluded, must be addressed by our life and not just by our words. All who meet us must-see from our lives that we believe in the resurrection of the body, in eternal life, in Jesus Christ.

And this requires a constant beginning, a repetition in our lives. We must not become discouraged because the example is Jesus Christ Himself, who, after His resurrection, taught and encouraged His apostles again and again.