Fr Kevin Kilgore

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Gospel: John 3:16-21

God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might not perish
but might have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but that the world might be saved through him.
Whoever believes in him will not be condemned,
but whoever does not believe has already been condemned,
because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God.
And this is the verdict,
that the light came into the world,
but people preferred darkness to light,
because their works were evil.
For everyone who does wicked things hates the light
and does not come toward the light,
so that his works might not be exposed.
But whoever lives the truth comes to the light,
so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.

The Gospel of the Lord.

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There’s a Southern tale about a bridge operator. His job was to raise the bridge before boats passed underneath, and to lower the bridge before trains sped through.

One day, the man brought his son to work. The young boy marveled at the switches, the windows, and the seemingly magical bridge that was raised or lowered by the flick of his father’s finger.

When it came time for the final train to pass through, the man realized that his son had wandered off. Suddenly, he spotted his boy playing at the base of the hill, right where the bridge was set to lower.

Staring at the train speeding towards him, he had to make a split-second decision: to either lower the bridge…or save his son.

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He lowered the bridge.

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Imagining the anguish which must’ve flooded his heart can help us imagine what God might’ve experienced as he sacrificed his Son, bridging the gap between us and eternal life. 

No wonder the earth trembled and the skies were darkened. Christ’s death in the flesh was the most wrenching sacrifice imaginable.

But what sticks out to me when I compare the two stories is the fact that no one onboard the train realized what the father had done. The train just kept on going.

We, however, know what Jesus has done for us, opening up the gates to eternal life. In what ways might we demonstrate our gratitude for him? How might we pay his sacrifice forward? 

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“I have given you an example to follow,” Jesus says, “just as I have done, so you should also do.”

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Image credits: (1) Penlight Media (2) Scoobypedia (3) More Than Useless

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Acts 4:32-37

The community of believers was of one heart and mind,
and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own,
but they had everything in common.
With great power the Apostles bore witness
to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus,
and great favor was accorded them all.
There was no needy person among them,
for those who owned property or houses would sell them,
bring the proceeds of the sale,
and put them at the feet of the Apostles,
and they were distributed to each according to need.

Thus Joseph, also named by the Apostles Barnabas
(which is translated “son of encouragement”),
a Levite, a Cypriot by birth,
sold a piece of property that he owned,
then brought the money and put it at the feet of the Apostles.

The Word of the Lord.

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Tertullian, a 3rd century champion of Christianity, lived during a very intense time. While the Church was growing exponentially, there were also sporadic persecutions; Christianity would not be legalized for nearly another century. 

Still, Tertullian publicly professed and defended his faith, not only writing about what Christians believed, but also about how they behaved.

Quoting one of his pagan critics, he wrote, “Look how the Christians love one another, how they are ready to die for each other, while the pagans hate each other.” Tertullian teaches us that from the beginning, Christians bore an intense sense of responsibility for their neighbor, regardless of one’s race or class.

Our first reading from the Acts of the Apostles further attests to this point. “The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own.” 

We hear of Barnabas, for example, who sells his property and lays it at the feet of the Apostles to be used for charity.

This was how Christians demonstrated their faith in Jesus. They did not cling to worldly things; they kept everything in common; they spoke kindly of their neighbor; they cared for the sick, for widows, for orphans; and they broke bread together.

They were even willing to die in each other’s place.

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To a large extent, the Church has held onto this tradition of charity. 

No other institution in human history has founded as many hospitals, schools, orphanages, soup kitchens, high schools, universities, or has had as many people willingly die for their beliefs.

Still, we may need an occasional reminder that greatness is not measured in terms of worldly power or material things; rather, the greatest among us is always the servant. 

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May what was said of our ancestors also be said of us, “Look how they loved one another.”

It’s just what Christians do.

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Image credits: (1) Lutheran at Penn State (2) It’s not about me, It’s about Jesus (3) QuoteFancy

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Gospel: John 3: 1-8

There was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
He came to Jesus at night and said to him,
“Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God,
for no one can do these signs that you are doing
unless God is with him.”
Jesus answered and said to him,
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless one is born from above, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
Nicodemus said to him,
“How can a man once grown old be born again?
Surely he cannot reenter his mother’s womb and be born again, can he?”
Jesus answered,
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless one is born of water and Spirit
he cannot enter the Kingdom of God.
What is born of flesh is flesh
and what is born of spirit is spirit.
Do not be amazed that I told you,
‘You must be born from above.’
The wind blows where it wills,
and you can hear the sound it makes,
but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes;
so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Today we encounter a Pharisee named Nicodemus. His role in John’s Gospel is similar to that of Doubting Thomas, whom we encountered yesterday.

They both remind us that faith is a journey, sometimes riddled with questions, doubt, and the need for personal experience with the Risen Christ.

We first encounter Nicodemus at the beginning of Christ’s public ministry.

Nicodemus has seen and heard enough of Jesus that he’s on the verge of faith. But he remains stuck in the realm of questioning. So, he approaches Jesus, initiating a dialogue.

But Jesus speaks elusively, telling him that he must be, “born again,” which makes Nicodemus wonder, “how can a man once grown old be born again?” 

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We do not encounter Nicodemus again until the near end of Jesus’ public ministry, when Jesus is put on trial. Still a Pharisee, Nicodemus intervenes on Jesus’ behalf, imploring his peers to allow Jesus to explain himself – a sign that Nicodemus still wants to believe.

We encounter him a third and final time after the crucifixion, when he brings spices to anoint Jesus’ body. Does Nicodemus’ faith die with Jesus at the tomb? Does he remember him simply as a respected rabbi? 

Or does Nicodemus become part of the early Christian community?

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We don’t know. John leaves that for us to ponder.

Nicodemus reminds us that, at some point, we all must decide for ourselves who Jesus is. Our answer is often driven by personal experience – or a lack thereof. Thus, in the words of Jesus, “Who do you say that I am?”

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Our answer does not mean that we’ve had every question resolved or that our faith is without difficulty. But a willingness to believe in Jesus raised from the dead opens up the possibility for us to experience life beyond the grave.

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Image credits: (1) The Resurrection of Christ, Giovanni Battista Moroni (2) Nicodemus Before Christ, Henry Ossawa Tanner, 1899 (3) Pinterest