A reading from the gospel according to John 3:7B-15:

7B Jesus said to Nicodemus: “‘You must be born from above.’
8 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.”
9 Nicodemus answered and said to him, ‘How can this happen?”
10 Jesus answered and said to him, “You are the teacher of Israel and you do not understand this?
11 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.
12 If I tell you about earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?
13 No one has gone up to heaven except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man.
14 And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
15 so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”

Reflections:

To be born from above means to be born of the Spirit so that we can be reconnected with heaven, our origin and destiny. It also means to be made aware of our purpose and to work out for its accomplishment. Jesus mentions a life in the Spirit which we cannot see but its effects such as the movement of leaves of trees are visible. We who are born again live not in the flesh but in this Spirit. The effect of the Spirit must have an impact which means others are able to see or perceive it. If not then we are still worldly, not yet born of the Spirit.

Jesus lifted up on the cross is the ultimate sacrifice for our salvation. Looking at Him hanging there must no longer unnerve us but instead make us hopeful that sin and death have been conquered and therefore they have no more power over us. The cross is no longer a source of shame but of pride that we can boast of (Galatians 6:14). By dying on the cross, Jesus made possible for us to have eternal life if only we believe in Him.

*****

Usually, it is difficult for educated people to believe in something they don’t understand, at least logically. Just like Nicodemus, a teacher of the law who can’t comprehend the term “being born again”. So Jesus uses the example of the wind blowing here and there but cannot be perceived where it is going to and coming from. So it is with the Spirit of God.

God says His thoughts are not our thoughts and His ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8). Many times He cannot be perceived by logic alone but with openness. That is why worldly wisdom is more of a hindrance to faith and people of little education are easier to accept the scripture than those with PhDs. That is why Jesus said the mystery of God is hidden to the wise and educated but is revealed to the little ones (Matthew 11:25). Indeed, it is only with a childlike attitude that we can encounter God.

Jesus is practically telling Nicodemus to lay aside what he already knew and become a baby again, ready to be taught new knowledge that comes only from having faith in the Son of Man. He is inviting Nicodemus and He is inviting all of us to become new beings whose lives are guided and transformed by the Spirit of God.

Let us therefore pray that God may send us His Spirit to renew us, to melt and mold us, and to set us on the path of spiritual awakening. Amen.

*****

There’s a moment in Scripture when Jesus speaks late into the night with a man named Nicodemus—a respected religious leader, a seeker of truth. He comes with questions, perhaps even doubts, trying to reconcile what he sees in Jesus with what he knows of tradition. Jesus doesn’t rebuke him for his questions. Instead, He opens the door to a profound mystery: rebirth. A new beginning. A life born not of the flesh, but of the Spirit.

“You must be born again,” Jesus says.

For Nicodemus, this was disorienting. “How can someone be born when they are old?” he asks. It’s a fair question. Life seems so linear: birth, growth, aging, and eventually death. But Jesus speaks of a rebirth that breaks the cycle of hopelessness. One not dependent on our effort or merit, but on God’s transforming Spirit.

This passage reaches its crescendo when Jesus refers to a story from Israel’s history. In Numbers 21, the Israelites were afflicted by venomous snakes after their rebellion. God instructed Moses to lift a bronze serpent on a pole. Those who looked upon it in faith were healed. It wasn’t the metal or the pole that saved them. It was the trust that God would do what He promised.

Jesus takes this ancient image and reveals its deeper fulfillment: “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up.” He’s speaking of the cross, His own suffering and sacrifice. He would be lifted up, not in glory, but in agony, so that we, poisoned by sin and brokenness, might look to Him and live.

This is the heart of the gospel: not religion, not performance, not moral achievement but a look of faith toward the One who was lifted up for us.

Sometimes life feels like that wilderness—confusing, painful, full of things that bite and wound. We wander. We grumble. We stumble into rebellion, often unintentionally. But God, in His mercy, has not left us to perish in the desert of our failures. He has given us a way out—not by ignoring the consequences of sin, but by offering healing through the lifted Son.

And what does it take? Belief. Not a perfect understanding. Not a flawless track record. Just belief. Just trust. Just the courage to lift your eyes and see Jesus for who He is: the Savior, the Redeemer, the One who was lifted up so that you might be lifted out of despair and into eternal life.

This new birth isn’t just a moment. It’s a movement. A daily invitation to walk in the Spirit, to live with fresh eyes, open hands, and a heart tuned to grace. It’s not about escaping this world, but being transformed in the midst of it. Being born again means seeing the same world with new vision, one that recognizes light in the darkness, hope in the hardship, and divine purpose in every breath.

So today, wherever you are, whether you’re seeking like Nicodemus, struggling in your own wilderness, or simply trying to understand what it means to start again, hear this truth:
The Son of Man was lifted up for you. Look up to Him. Believe and live eternally.

You may also watch the video version below.