Readings:
Acts 5:17-26
John 3:16-21
Reflection:
In a family, the parents love their children and offer the best for them. The mother normally gives what the children want, while the father grants what they need. In the end, the children gradually become parents and realise that their parents, as they are, always show love and provide what the children need rather than what they want.
In the conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus told him about the best gift that God, the Father, gave to the world. Before the Resurrection, Nicodemus could not understand what Jesus said to him. As a Pharisee and member of the Sanhedrin, Nicodemus was considered a virtuous man who kept the Laws and traditions. Nicodemus only appears in John’s Gospel on three occasions: coming to Jesus secretly (3:1-21), defending Jesus before the council (7:50-52), and assisting with Jesus’ burial publicly (19:39-42). These three times portrayed his journey of faith from dark to light, from death to life.
In the dark, we are like Nicodemus, coming to God secretly and seeking what we want. Coming out of the night, we experience the light of Jesus and start to defend Him, becoming a witness for Him. In light of the Resurrection, we acknowledge that Jesus foretold to Nicodemus about life after death, which is an essential need for human beings.
May we also realise that God gives us the best. He gives us eternal life, we will not be lost; we will be saved, not condemned. And then, we also give the best to others as a testimony of love and resurrection.
JD Tân T CP is a Vietnamese Passionist who lives and studies further at the Holy Cross Retreat, Templestowe.