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Gospel Reflection for Monday, April 28, 2025
Let’s Give Nicodemus Some Credit
Sometimes, Jesus really does seem to ask the impossible. Out of nowhere, He presents the idea of being “born again.” It’s as though He doesn’t realize how much change terrifies us, how deeply ingrained our early lessons are, etched into our minds in ways that make it almost impossible to erase and start fresh. Those formative years shaped us—through our parents’ words, school experiences (both in the classroom and on the playground, an equally influential space), and societal input. Comments overheard on the street, discussions in the media, and chance encounters all contributed to constructing how we perceive and understand the world. Inevitably, our minds filled with biases, particularly moral ones: this is good, that is bad. That framework carried us through life, helping us navigate the world. But it’s also been like a pair of glasses, limiting our perspective and narrowing our field of vision. Nicodemus had a point—it’s not easy to be born again, to start anew when we’ve traveled so far already.
Yet there stands Jesus, telling Nicodemus that being born again is necessary. He invites him to leave all of that behind, to take off those glasses, and to see the world with fresh eyes. It’s a daunting request, especially when we’re so comfortable with the way we are accustomed to understanding reality.
But Jesus breaks the mold. Nicodemus himself acknowledges the signs and wonders Jesus performs. The Kingdom is already here. God is no longer the vengeful judge but a loving Father, seeking to gather His children around the table of fellowship—transcending the prejudices we’ve carried for so long. To embrace this, we must be born again, for “new wine calls for new wineskins” (cf. Lk 5:37-39). It’s hard, but it’s possible. Only then can we begin to comprehend and live the radical newness of Jesus.