First Reading - Acts 4:32-37
Gospel - John 3:7-15
The gospel passage deals with the fundamental fact of our Christian life: salvation. The dialogue between Jesus and Nicodemus has a profound theological import. Jesus teaches Nicodemus about the necessity of spiritual rebirth by water and Spirit, alluding to the sacrament of Baptism, as a condition for salvation. Jesus explains why this rebirth is essential: because it is through the Spirit, the power of God, that one is reinvigorated and transformed into a child of God and a powerful servant of His will. Jesus highlights that the Spirit is the source and sustenance of life. The prophets had already linked the hope of salvation to the outpouring of the Spirit, foretelling the days when God's Spirit would renew hearts and lives. Therefore, being born of the Spirit is not merely a ritual formality but a real transformation necessary to enter into the kingdom of God.
The first reading gives a glimpse of what a Spirit-filled life looks like. The Acts of the Apostles present an ideal picture of the first Christian community, where believers were united in heart and mind. Their unity was the visible fruit of their encounter with the risen Christ and their experience of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. This community was characterized by a deep sense of responsibility for one another. No one claimed private ownership of anything, but they shared everything they had. There were no needy persons among them, because those who owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds to be distributed to anyone as needed. Their life together was a living testimony that true Christian life is not about isolated spiritual journeys but about building a family of believers, rooted in love, solidarity, and shared mission.
Dear friends, through baptism, we have been specially chosen to be children of God. But Christian life does not stop at an individual relationship with God; it extends into the family of believers. We are called to reflect the same spirit of unity and shared life that the first Christians embodied. Our identity as Christians demands that we resist the temptations of individualism, selfishness, and indifference that threaten to fragment our communities today. Building a true Christian community starts with small, everyday choices: caring for one another, sharing what we have, offering encouragement, making sacrifices for the good of others, and forgiving when wronged. These are the practical ways we build unity and peace in our families, neighborhoods, parishes, and beyond.
If every Christian begins in their own small community to break the barriers of division and foster bonds of genuine love and service, the wider Christian family will be renewed. Our faith calls us not to live only for ourselves but to be responsible for each other, to see the face of Christ in every brother and sister, and to let the Holy Spirit animate all our relationships. Let us make room for the Spirit to work in us by letting go of selfishness, by standing with the poor and the weak, and by being ready to sacrifice when needed.
May the Holy Spirit unite us all in love and peace.
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