💖 HOMILY - APRIL 9 💖

First Reading - Acts 4:32-37

Gospel - John 3:7-15

Today, individualism and other divisive mentalities are soaring high, driving us to lead selfish lives without caring for others. The readings of today invite us to break such barriers that divide us and create a harmonious Christian community bonded in love and peace.

The gospel passage deals with the fundamental fact of our Christian life: salvation. The dialogue between Jesus and Nicodemus has profound theological import. Jesus teaches Nicodemus the necessity of spiritual rebirth by water and Spirit, alluding to the sacrament of Baptism, for salvation. Jesus furthermore explains why this is a necessary condition for salvation. It's because the spiritual rebirth in the Spirit, representing the power of God, can transform everyone into powerful servants of God and children of God. Jesus emphasizes that the Spirit is the empowering means of life (John 6:63). The prophets had also linked the hope of the eschatological era or salvation to the coming days of the Spirit (Joel 2:28-29; Ezekiel 36:26-27). Therefore, such birth is indeed a birth from above and a necessary condition for our participation in the spiritual kingdom of God.

The foretaste of the spiritual kingdom of God caused due to the spiritual rebirth is seen in the first reading. The Acts of the Apostles idealize the first Christian community, which was united in heart and mind. The unity of the Christians in the early century was the impact of the experience of the spiritual rebirth or baptism. The ideal community had some key elements that united them together: the experience of the risen Christ, the experience of their spiritual rebirth on the day of Pentecost, the care and sensitivity towards one another, as the reading also mentions that there was no one who was poor or in need, and their readiness to sacrifice, as seen in the selling of their property, etc. As a whole, the first Christian community had only the spiritual purpose to live their life in Christ, which was inspired by the Holy Spirit.

Dear friends, our baptism is a sign that we are very especially chosen by God to become His Children. However, our Christian life is never an individual affair but is always communitarian in nature. By the very fact, we are baptized; we share the brotherhood and sisterhood of the same family called the Christian family. The first reading sets an example for us the life of the first Christian community, which was united in heart and mind in Christ through the Holy Spirit. This community is an ideal community for our Christian community worldwide. We are also invited today to make our Christian communities one heart and one mind against today's prevalent belief in individualism, sectarianism, and fundamentalism that divide us forever. Christian life is for unity in love through the Spirit that leads us to our salvation. Let's try to break the divisive mentality from our Christian life, beginning from our small communities, and certainly, this will impact our Christian community at large. Let's bring unity and love in our small families by becoming sensitive to the needs of one another, caring for one another, and being ready to sacrifice for the sake of others, and such steps of ours will spread positive vibes of unity and love everywhere.

May the Holy Spirit unite us all in love and peace.