SO IT IS WITH EVERYONE WHO IS BORN OF THE SPIRIT

At 4,32-37; Ps 92; Jn 3,7b-15
10 APRIL
It is urgent to understand well what Jesus says to Nicodemus: “The wind blows where it wants and you hear its voice, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes: so it is whoever is born of the Spirit”. Whoever is born of the Spirit is always moved by the Spirit on condition that he walks according to the Spirit, otherwise the flesh gains the upper hand and makes slave of it not only who has been baptized, but also who has received every other sacrament. This truth is cried out by St. Paul in the Letter to the Galatians.

For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery. For through the Spirit, by faith, we await the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love. You were running well; who hindered you from following (the) truth? That enticement does not come from the one who called you. A little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough. I am confident of you in the Lord that you will not take a different view, and that the one who is troubling you will bear the condemnation, whoever he may be. For you were called for freedom, brothers. But do not use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh; rather, serve one another through love. I say, then: live by the Spirit and you will certainly not gratify the desire of the flesh. For the flesh has desires against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you may not do what you want. But if you are guided by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are obvious: immorality, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, rivalry, jealousy, outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness, dissensions, factions, occasions of envy, drinking bouts, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ (Jesus) have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit. Let us not be conceited, provoking one another, envious of one another (Cf. Gal 5,1-26).

Who wants to be like the wind in the hands of the Holy Spirit, rather a breath of his mouth, to make the vivification and renewal of every heart, must be one with Christ and you are one with Him, dwelling in his Word. Faith is in the Word. Obedience is in his Word. The Holy Spirit is in his Word, since he is the Spirit of the Lord, Christ and his Word are one. Only one commandment of Christ is transgressed and you are a plate of lead and a slave of sin.

‘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 the 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. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”

The other word of Jesus must also be holily understood: “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life”. There are two truths to say: The sons of Israel were already in death. They looked at the snake, the poison lost its toxicity of death. We are already in death too. We are not asked to look at Him alone. We are asked to believe in him. How does one believe in him? By welcoming all of his Word into our heart and making it become the one and only law of our life. Jesus is inseparable from the Word just as faith is inseparable from the Word. We accept the Word of Jesus, we accept Christ and we believe in him. We do not accept the Word, we do not accept Christ and we do not believe in Him. Great is the responsibility of the ministers of the Word. If they give a Christ without his Word, they give a “snake” without efficacy. Who is in death remains in death and who is in life returns to death.

Virgin Mary, Mother of the Redemption, Angels and Saints give us Christ and his Word.