Coffee With God

 

 

Reflection: John 3:31-36

Since the beginning of this week, we have been reading about Nicodemus’ encounter with Jesus. As their conversation progresses, we realise that Nicodemus is no more around, but Jesus continues with his teaching on matters of Heaven and the Holy Spirit. Jesus invites all his listeners to be people of God instead of people of the world. Today’s passage is an appeal as to why one should believe in Jesus – the one who comes from heaven. John, the evangelist, is utilising the instance of Nicodemus meeting Jesus to teach his own listeners why should they believe in Jesus. John writes from his long experience with the early Church and enlightened by the Spirit. John’s objective in writing the Gospel is to tell his listeners that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. It is rational that when we speak, we speak of things that we see, hear and experience. Similarly, when Jesus speaks, he speaks of things that he has seen, heard and experienced with his Father, and therefore, the words of Jesus are words about his Father and about the Kingdom of heaven! But John expresses his frustration and deep pain at the widespread rejection of Jesus. He says: no one accepts his testimony! Of course, the community of believers did believe in Jesus. And to those who believed in the words of Jesus, he has sent the Holy Spirit upon them. John himself had experienced the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the group of disciples without measure. And of course, whenever God gives, he gives in plenty, without measure! Remember the wedding at Cana – the host runs out of wine, and then comes six stone jars full of wine! And when the Lord fed the 5000 with five loaves of bread, the leftovers were collected in 12 baskets full! When the disciples go fishing the whole night and catch nothing – Jesus orders them to put out to the deep – and the catch was a miraculous one. God does not ration out his blessings in bits and pieces … he gives them in plenty! Think of the Eucharist. Every time we receive the Lord in the Eucharist, he leaves in us a renewal and deepening of his presence – the presence of his Holy Spirit. What other gifts can we ask from the Lord than the gift of life filled with the Spirit of Jesus – the person of Jesus – in abundance! This is the new birth that Jesus invites us into.