Read Online
“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.” John 3:6–8
Today’s Gospel offers us an opportunity to ponder the relationship
between faith and reason. Is it good to live our lives according to
human reason? Certainly! The natural virtue of prudence is the
ability to use our human reason to discern the right course of
action in any given situation, choosing what is most reasonable to
achieve good and avoid harm. Unfortunately, we often make choices
based not on prudence but on unruly passions and disordered
desires. Prudence helps us cut through the confusion so we can
choose the most reasonable course of action.
Natural prudence, however, is not enough if we want to choose God’s
will in all circumstances. God’s will is not contrary to reason and
natural prudence; it is above what our natural minds alone can
discern. This was the struggle Nicodemus had in today’s
Gospel.
Nicodemus, a well-respected Pharisee, “came to Jesus at night” to
converse with Him. Jesus warmly welcomed him and their conversation
ensued. Some Church Fathers have interpreted the detail that it was
at night as a symbol of Nicodemus’ faith: it had not yet been
enlightened by divinely revealed truth. He was clearly open and
curious, knowing there was something special about Jesus, which is
evidenced by his initial greeting: “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” (John 3:2). Nicodemus,
familiar with Jesus’ miracles, understood that only God could
empower one to do such things. This opened the door to his
curiosity, which led him to seek Jesus out for a
conversation.
What a beautiful starting point for faith! Like Nicodemus, when we
encounter God’s almighty power in some way—such as during prayer,
the holy virtues of another, or through our reading of the
Scriptures—we will experience a certain tug on our hearts. We might
not fully understand such an experience, but we must act on it. If
we do not, we silence the gentle promptings of the Holy
Spirit.
Nicodemus sought understanding, and Jesus’ response to him was
exactly what he needed. Jesus did not address Nicodemus’
compliment; instead, He addressed Nicodemus as a person and said
what he needed to hear: “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless one is
born from above, he cannot see the Kingdom of God” (John
3:3).
Nicodemus responded in a way we are all tempted to do when we face
a divine mystery—he tried to figure it out through the use of his
natural reason alone: “How can a person once grown old be born
again? Surely he cannot reenter his mother’s womb and be born
again, can he?” (John 3:4). This is a common tendency. We want to
figure things out so they make sense. However, the only way to make
sense of life is to allow our human reason to be informed and
elevated by the grace of the Holy Spirit. For that reason, Jesus
continued to insist on speaking mysteriously, to draw Nicodemus
beyond natural prudential judgments into supernatural
understanding.
Reflect today on the mysterious ways the Holy Spirit communicates
to you. Like the wind, the Holy Spirit moves through our lives,
unseen yet transformative, refreshing our souls with His gentle
guidance. We cannot direct His movements, but we can recognize His
presence in the stirrings of grace and the fruits of goodness in
our lives. When we allow ourselves to be carried by the Spirit, we
find ourselves led in directions we might never have chosen on our
own but that always lead us closer to God’s will and His
Kingdom.
Lord of true Wisdom, Your thoughts are far above our thoughts
and Your ways are far above our ways. Please bestow upon me, and
upon all Your children, Your Holy Spirit so that we can always
discern and choose Your holy will. I pray that Your grace will
enlighten my natural reason so that I may know and love You with
all my heart. Jesus, I trust in You.
Image: Visit of Nicodemus to Christ by John La Farge
Source: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com —
Copyright 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This
content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use.
Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use
within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without
written permission.
Kommentare (0)
Melde dich an, um einen Kommentar zu schreiben.