Readings for Tuesday of the Second Week of Easter[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible at Universalis
Commentary:
Reading 1 Acts 4:32-37
This selection from Acts is the second summary describing the community of faith at Jerusalem. The description is of a community completely unified in the faith of the risen Lord living, in accordance with the practices followed by the disciples when they were with Jesus, sharing all material possessions. The Barnabas mentioned in this selection is the presumed to be the same person who later joins Paul in his missionary quests.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 93:1ab, 1cd-2, 5
R. The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
This important psalm is well described by the following statement from the notes: “The Lord is king: literally, "the Lord reigns." This psalm, and Psalms 47; 96-99, are sometimes called enthronement psalms. They may have been used in a special liturgy during which God's ascent to the throne was ritually reenacted. They have also been interpreted eschatologically, pointing to the coming of God as king at the end-time.”
Gospel Jn 3:7b-15
Jesus continues the discourse with Nicodemus started yesterday. When Nicodemus still does not understand the resurrection to which Jesus points saying “You must be born from above”, the
Lord becomes more explicit, using the remedy of the saraph serpents employed by Moses (Numbers 21:9) as an analog to his own Crucifixion, the salvation of all who are poisoned by sin.
Reflection:
As the we see the Christian community continues to develop into the communal model of Jesus and his disciples in the selection from Acts, Jesus continues his dialogue with Nicodemus. We have two choices of lessons we can take from scripture today.
In Acts we see the unity developing that is the mark of the Lord’s Great Commandment to “love one another” being applied. Since earliest times, Christians have, in various places, used this same model to a greater or lesser extent to follow Jesus teachings. Those who have more give to those who have less and even those who have least give to those who have none. It is part of our Easter heritage, to love and care for one another.
In the Gospel, Jesus is still trying to help Nicodemus understand the resurrection that follows the spiritual rebirth taking place in Baptism. This part of the dialogue (soon to become a monologue) is important to our understanding of the path we follow.
At the very end of the long form of “Blessing of the Water” used in Baptism is the phrase: “May all who are buried with Christ in the death of baptism rise also with him to newness of life.” At the risk of using the cliché from the “Lion King” we are part of a circle of life. We are born and adopted by Christ in Baptism and follow him through life on this earth. We pick up and carry the cross we must bear and in the end, when we are called home by the Father rise with Jesus to new life. It is the death of baptism, the Easter promise made and fulfilled.
Pax
[1] After 05/07
[2] The image of Jesus and Nicodemus used today is from an UNKNOWN Artist used to illustrate a children’s bible.
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible at Universalis
Commentary:
Reading 1 Acts 4:32-37
This selection from Acts is the second summary describing the community of faith at Jerusalem. The description is of a community completely unified in the faith of the risen Lord living, in accordance with the practices followed by the disciples when they were with Jesus, sharing all material possessions. The Barnabas mentioned in this selection is the presumed to be the same person who later joins Paul in his missionary quests.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 93:1ab, 1cd-2, 5
R. The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
This important psalm is well described by the following statement from the notes: “The Lord is king: literally, "the Lord reigns." This psalm, and Psalms 47; 96-99, are sometimes called enthronement psalms. They may have been used in a special liturgy during which God's ascent to the throne was ritually reenacted. They have also been interpreted eschatologically, pointing to the coming of God as king at the end-time.”
Gospel Jn 3:7b-15
Jesus continues the discourse with Nicodemus started yesterday. When Nicodemus still does not understand the resurrection to which Jesus points saying “You must be born from above”, the
Lord becomes more explicit, using the remedy of the saraph serpents employed by Moses (Numbers 21:9) as an analog to his own Crucifixion, the salvation of all who are poisoned by sin.
Reflection:
As the we see the Christian community continues to develop into the communal model of Jesus and his disciples in the selection from Acts, Jesus continues his dialogue with Nicodemus. We have two choices of lessons we can take from scripture today.
In Acts we see the unity developing that is the mark of the Lord’s Great Commandment to “love one another” being applied. Since earliest times, Christians have, in various places, used this same model to a greater or lesser extent to follow Jesus teachings. Those who have more give to those who have less and even those who have least give to those who have none. It is part of our Easter heritage, to love and care for one another.
In the Gospel, Jesus is still trying to help Nicodemus understand the resurrection that follows the spiritual rebirth taking place in Baptism. This part of the dialogue (soon to become a monologue) is important to our understanding of the path we follow.
At the very end of the long form of “Blessing of the Water” used in Baptism is the phrase: “May all who are buried with Christ in the death of baptism rise also with him to newness of life.” At the risk of using the cliché from the “Lion King” we are part of a circle of life. We are born and adopted by Christ in Baptism and follow him through life on this earth. We pick up and carry the cross we must bear and in the end, when we are called home by the Father rise with Jesus to new life. It is the death of baptism, the Easter promise made and fulfilled.
Pax
[1] After 05/07
[2] The image of Jesus and Nicodemus used today is from an UNKNOWN Artist used to illustrate a children’s bible.
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