Coming Together and Breaking Away
Apr 17: Monday of the Second Week of Easter
Today’s readings address a somewhat uncomfortable topic for modern readers—defining who’s in your group and, by logical extension, excluding others. The early Christians were themselves outcasts, although some of society’s most powerful, like Nicodemus, decide to join them.
Reading 1
Acts 4:23-31
After their release Peter and John went back to their own people and reported what the chief priests and elders had told them. And when they heard it, they raised their voices to God with one accord and said, "Sovereign Lord, maker of heaven and earth and the sea and all that is in them, you said by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of our father David, your servant:
Why did the Gentiles rage and the peoples entertain folly? The kings of the earth took their stand and the princes gathered together against the Lord and against his anointed.
Indeed they gathered in this city against your holy servant Jesus whom you anointed, Herod and Pontius Pilate, together with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do what your hand and your will had long ago planned to take place. And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and enable your servants to speak your word with all boldness, as you stretch forth your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are done through the name of your holy servant Jesus."
As they prayed, the place where they were gathered shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.
The disciples sing the second Psalm, attributing it to David, as Jews of the time would. The irony is, the Psalm is about the Gentiles, whereas these early Christians are singing about the high priests and the Sanhedrin of Israel.
They’re starting to see themselves as something different than Jewish.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 2:1-3, 4-7a, 7b-9
R. Blessed are all who take refuge in the Lord.
Why do the nations rage
and the peoples utter folly?
The kings of the earth rise up,
and the princes conspire together
against the LORD and against his anointed:
"Let us break their fetters
and cast their bonds from us!"
R. Blessed are all who take refuge in the Lord.
He who is throned in heaven laughs;
the LORD derides them.
Then in anger he speaks to them;
he terrifies them in his wrath:
"I myself have set up my king
on Zion, my holy mountain."
I will proclaim the decree of the LORD.
R. Blessed are all who take refuge in the Lord.
The LORD said to me, "You are my Son;
this day I have begotten you.
Ask of me and I will give you
the nations for an inheritance
and the ends of the earth for your possession.
You shall rule them with an iron rod;
you shall shatter them like an earthen dish."
R. Blessed are all who take refuge in the Lord.
Man plans, God laughs, as the saying goes. But then God terrifies man with his wrath.
God gives authority to Jesus, the Messiah. But Jesus doesn’t use or abuse the authority. Instead, He offers Himself up as a sacrifice.
The Earthly authority of the Sanhedrin wanted to “break their fetters,” but they remained bound to sin. Jesus wanted to free them from it, free all of us from sin.
No wonder the Psalmist is confused. “Why do the nations rage and the peoples utter folly?”
Alleluia
Col 3:1
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
If then you were raised with Christ,
seek what is above,
where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Jesus’ Resurrection is the most important moment of Christianity. It should direct our thoughts and actions at all times.
Gospel
Jn 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."
Nicodemus was one of the Sanhedrin. He’s an educated man, very learned in Jewish theology. And so, he’s able to ask probing questions.
He’s also an honest man. Later, he’s the one who reminds the Sanhedrin that they need to actually listen to the accused (Jesus) before condemning him.1 And ultimately, he helps Joseph of Arimathea bury Jesus.2 Nicodemus went from questioning to defending to honoring. We don't hear of him after that, but we can presume he remained a part of the early Christian community after the Resurrection.
The point of confusion between Nicodemus and Jesus is the word anōthen, which can mean either “from above” or “again.” Nicodemus takes it the latter way, when Jesus intends it the former, naturally.
Like a good teacher, Jesus takes this confusion and uses it to teach a lesson. We have to seek what is above, as the Alleluia said. We have to be like the early Christians in the first reading, who don’t care what the Sanhedrin, their most proximate rulers, say. Instead, we have to look to God above, and where the Holy Spirit blows us.