Thursday, June 4, 2009

Today’s text

John 3:3-9

Jesus answered: In all truth I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above. Nicodemus said, 'How can anyone who is already old be born? Is it possible to go back into the womb again and be born?' Jesus replied: In all truth I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born through water and the Spirit; what is born of human nature is human; what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be surprised when I say: You must be born from above. The wind blows where it pleases; you can hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.'

Reflection

The wind blows where it wills. We do not see from where it comes or whither it goes, but we do hear it. We sense and feel it and can flow with its currents … or resist.

So it is with those who are born from above, from your Spirit, my Lord.

They are made young again. They are fresh and hope-filled by the Spirit within them, possessing eyes and ears to perceive where you blow and how. They know: the Spirit blows and it will, never ceasing.

It gives life wherever it finds the slightest opening, for that Spirit is the living breath of the Ever-living God, of you, Holy Mystery.

Those born of your Spirit are the truly blessed. They hear and are moved by the currents of your life present in all that is and lives. They are made new, seeing and feeling the fresh breeze of your loving nearness blowing through once stale, lifeless halls of soul.

It’s true: once old, one can be born again, and again, and again. The soul can be young again and forever, standing in the fresh breeze of your blowing. For the Spirit opens eyes to see your creative love and joy in everything the eye takes in--sky and trees, faces and all matter.

So blow, Spirit, blow that I may be forever young. Born from above, let me feel your rule of love and beauty even when others imagine that only cynical and skeptical eyes can see.

Open my eyes to the dearest freshness of your love blowing in every place and circumstance.

Pr. David L. Miller