How to be born from above?

Gospel Thoughts*

*Easter Season : 2nd Week - Tuesday*

*GOSPEL - Jn 3:7b-15*

*First Reading - Acts 4:32-37*

*How to be born from above?*

*1) You must be born from above.*

Jesus tells these words to Nicodemus. When Jesus said these words, Nicodemus was trying to imagine the 2nd birth from the mother's womb, which appeared to be impossible for him 

This makes Nicodemus to ask another question :    *How can a man once grown old be born again? Surely he cannot reenter his mother’s womb and be born again, can he?*

To this Jesus tells him the birth of water and Spirit and birth from above 

So how to understand this birth from above 

*2) The symbolic meaning of Above*

In the biblical language, the above has special meaning 

The concept of *above* can be referred to the following things 

The Spiritual Things 

The Heavenly things 

Trinitarian God

The Kingdom values

The unconditional love

Humility 

Truth, sincerity

Forgiveness

Sacrifice, sharing

Concern for others 

Well-being of others 

Common Good 

Selflessness 

Simplicity of Life 

Patience 

working for  peace 

Kindness 

Helping hand in need

All these things come from above. These are by nature divine things. They don't belong to the world and they are not wordly things 

*3) How do we born from Above*

The moment we adopt the above mentioned kingdom values we become new person 

The change which comes in our life by adopting these values in our life makes us to see our life in a different angle

The change of life itself is the new life, or rebirth or the life from above 

This is what Jesus meant when he said to Nicodemus, that one should be born from above in order to enter into heaven 

*4) Is my life a witness to the birth from above?*

When we reflect about the birth from above, where does my life stands? 

Has my life taken birth in wordly things or has my life a witness to the birth from above?

By evaluating our own life and funding our various values in our lives we can find out whether we have been born from above or whether we are having birth from bellow or from wordly things 

*5) The need of birth from above*

A follower of Christ can not remain in the birth from bellow or birth in the wordly things 

The call of Jesus to each one of us, challenges us to take birth in above things 

Only those who take birth in above things become the genuine disciples of Jesus and only such persons can live their lives according to the Gospel values 

So it is very clear that one should take birth in above things in order to live a authentic Christian life 

*6) Am I ready to be born from above?*

The same question which was addressed to Nicodemus by Jesus, is addressed to us individually

Jesus takes our names individually and asks us are you willing to be born from above? 

What is my answer? 

We cant simply say *yes* and live as we want 

We need to work hard to be born from above. Only then it is possible

*7) Birth from above is not a one time work*

It is not a single event like taking birth from our mother's womb.

Biological birth is a single event and it happens at a particular moment. Once this birth is over, it does not last long 

Birth from above is not a single event or which happens at a particular moment 

This birth is continuous. It is a never ending process. From the moment of our biological birth till our death this process continues

So one can't try to have this birth at one moment of his life 

In other words every day we need to be born from above and every day we need to try for it

The more we try the better the birth becomes and also our life improves accordingly. 

If so am I ready to be born everyday?

*Think about it*

*God bless you and your family. Praying for you and your dear ones*

*Fr Maxim Dsouza*

*Jeppu Seminary*

*Mangalore*