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The Wind of the Spirit
“For the Souls in Purgatory – Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord”
Jn 3:1-12
Now 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, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a person 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, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. 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 answered and said to him, “How can this happen?” Jesus answered and said to him, “You are a teacher of Israel and you do not understand this? Amen, amen, I say to you, we speak of what we know and we testify to what we have seen, but you people do not accept our testimony. If I tell you about earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has gone up to heaven except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man.
Grace Prayed For
The grace to surrender my will to God’s, to allow myself to be “born from above” by the Holy Spirit, and to trust that Jesus desires to save me and make me a new creation.
Reflection
Have you ever felt the weight of being “good enough”? Nicodemus was a man who had it all—power, position, and a deep knowledge of the law. He was, by all accounts, a “good” man. Yet, he came to Jesus in the quiet of the night, seeking something more. He sensed that his righteousness, his knowledge, and his efforts were not enough. He was looking for a new beginning, a deeper truth.
In this beautiful and intimate conversation, Jesus reveals the heart of our Trinitarian God. He tells Nicodemus that salvation isn’t about what we do, but about what God does in us. It’s not about being a little better or trying a little harder. It’s about being “born from above,” a radical new beginning, a second birth of water and Spirit. This is Jesus’s love for us—a love that sees our attempts to save ourselves and says, “Let me do it for you.” He desires to completely transform us from the inside out, to give us a new life, a new heart, and a new identity in Him.
This birth of the Spirit is not something we can orchestrate or control, just as we cannot control the wind. We can only surrender to it. To be born of the Spirit is to allow the Holy Spirit to blow where it wills in our lives, guiding us, sanctifying us, and filling us with God’s very life. This is the ultimate intimacy with our Trinitarian God—the Father who sends His Son, the Son who reveals the Father, and the Holy Spirit who empowers us to become a new creation. When we allow this new life to take root in our hearts, our intimacy with God deepens, and we are compelled to share this life-giving message with the world. We become living testimonies to the God who makes all things new, partnering with Jesus in His mission to restore and renew all of creation.
Announcing Jesus in Our Lives
Announcing Jesus in Our Lives:
The message of Jesus—that God desires to save us and make us new—is not something we keep to ourselves. Because Jesus has impacted my life and given me a new beginning, I can share this with others. In my day-to-day life, I can evangelize by:
Inviting others to experience community: Invite friends to a small group, a Bible study, or a community event at your church, where they can encounter the love and life of Christ through others. These simple acts, rooted in the truth of God’s saving love, become a beacon of hope, inviting others to experience the life-changing power of being “born from above.”
Sharing my testimony: When appropriate, share how Jesus has transformed a specific area of your life. This gives a personal witness to His power.
Praying for a “second birth” for others: When you hear of someone’s struggles, offer to pray for them, asking for the Holy Spirit to work in their life and give them a new beginning.
Demonstrating forgiveness and mercy: When someone hurts you, respond with the forgiveness and mercy that you have received from God. This is a powerful witness to the love that makes all things new.
Creating beautiful things: Use your talents to create art, music, or other works that reflect the beauty and goodness of God, a living testament to the new creation He is building.
When Time Allows Reflect on the Posts in Library and Musings
Sharing
Jesus last words on Earth were to his disciples, can be found in Matthew Chap 28 when Jesus told his disciples, “Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
Jesus calls all of us to share in his redemptive mission here on Earth. I would ask you to share this Scripture reflection with your family, your friends and your acquaintances, and then share it with a couple of individuals that you may may not be comfortable sharing with, keeping in mind always the words of Jesus, And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age
Author was assisted by AI in the drafting of this Post