Born from Above: The Encounter of Nicodemus and Jesus
A Note on the Gospel Choice
Two Gospel readings are offered for this Second Sunday of Lent, and I chose the one not in your bulletin. I apologize for not looking ahead. The other is the Transfiguration, which we heard just a couple of weeks ago—that was my primary reason for the change. The secondary reason is my fascination with this encounter between Nicodemus and Jesus.
The Fame of John 3:16
I don’t stand alone in this fascination, as so many are drawn to it. This passage has become the most recognized in Scripture: you see it at soccer matches, football games, and all sorts of events on T-shirts simply reading “John 3:16.” Everyone knows it means: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but have eternal life.” It’s often called the Gospel in miniature—the entire message of Christ in one sentence. If you asked AI to summarize Christianity in a single line, it might well offer this verse.
The Mysterious Nighttime Meeting
But this verse emerges from a mysterious nighttime encounter. Nicodemus, a respected member of the Sanhedrin—the elite leaders among the Pharisees—was a well-educated religious authority. Yet he meets Jesus secretly, offering compliments, while Jesus seeks to explain the essence of faith. It’s challenging for Nicodemus, precisely because he is so learned and devout—that can sometimes be a stumbling block.
The Challenge of New Insights
The well-educated often struggle with fresh ideas or perspectives. I was speaking with a priest friend this morning about how religious traditions, including ours, sometimes seek a “final” interpretation of Scripture, declaring nothing more can be said. You can Google any passage and find scholars or traditions claiming definitive meaning: “This is it—end of discussion.” But if we believe God’s word is living and active, we cannot exhaust its full depth. Who are we to think we can fully capture God’s message?
Lessons from Ray Charles
Ray Charles, the great pianist and musician, was once interviewed while playing the piano. The interviewer asked if he ever grew bored with the instrument, given his mastery. Smiling, Ray replied that you never get bored once you realize there’s always more music in it than you can ever draw out. In other words, “I am not its master; I am its servant.” This humility toward the piano mirrors the approach Jesus urges in Nicodemus: openness to God beyond one’s fixed ideas.
Pushing Beyond Comfort
Nicodemus, entrenched in his worldview, thought he had faith figured out. Jesus pushes him further, saying things that don’t fit: “You must be born from above to even glimpse the Kingdom of God.” Nicodemus misunderstands, fixating on physical birth. Instead of asking, “Tell me more—this is beyond my reasoning,” he clings to the familiar. Jesus explains: “You must be born of water and the Spirit.” Your physical birth isn’t enough for a fully human life—we are more than bodies. Our needs go beyond money, peace, stability, retirement, a car, or food.
Symbols of Renewal
Jesus means we must let God recreate us—do something we can’t achieve alone. Water and Spirit, intertwined symbols of renewal and salvation in the Old Testament, represent this divine rebirth. How? Through faith: “I believe; help my unbelief.”
Stories of Resistance and Breakthrough
Many have resisted this surrender, like St. Augustine of Hippo, the great theologian and Church Father from North Africa. A brilliant rhetorician—master of philosophy and argument—he mocked Scripture early on, calling it unsatisfying. He chased worldly accomplishments until realizing they left him empty. Then, one sermon by St. Ambrose struck him. Sitting under a tree in a park, faith broke through. He didn’t force it; he allowed God to pierce his stubbornness. The people later acclaimed him bishop, valuing his humility and holiness.
C.S. Lewis’ Journey
C.S. Lewis, the great English writer, tells a similar story in *Surprised by Joy*. An atheist in university, he dismissed faith as simplistic, unfit for the educated. Yet God kept appearing unexpectedly. On a motorcycle sidecar ride to the zoo with his brother, he suddenly recognized Jesus as God’s Son. In the most ordinary moment, faith opened him up.
The Secret of Christian Faith
Jesus shares with Nicodemus the heart of Christian faith: we must be reborn by God, allowing Him to renew and transform us amid life’s struggles. That moving passage still stirs me—and I hope you: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but have eternal life.”
God’s Love for the World
Imagine: God loves *the world*—this place we often see as dark and broken. He gave His greatest treasure so that through faith, we won’t be destroyed by difficulties. We won’t perish but gain eternal life.
A Prayer for Renewal
I pray this message renews us this Lenten season and beyond. Amen. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Fr. Wojtek Kuzma