For your reading, reflection, faith-sharing, comments, questions, discussion.

1 posted on 04/05/2016 6:42:00 PM PDT by Salvation

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2 posted on 04/05/2016 6:42:46 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

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3 posted on 04/05/2016 6:43:47 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

John
	English: Douay-Rheims	Latin: Vulgata Clementina	Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
	John 3
7.	Wonder not, that I said to thee, you must be born again.	Non mireris quia dixi tibi : oportet vos nasci denuo .	μη θαυμασης οτι ειπον σοι δει υμας γεννηθηναι ανωθεν
8.	The Spirit breatheth where he will; and thou hearest his voice, but thou knowest not whence he cometh, and whither he goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.	Spiritus ubi vult spirat, et vocem ejus audis, sed nescis unde veniat, aut quo vadat : sic est omnis qui natus est ex spiritu.	το πνευμα οπου θελει πνει και την φωνην αυτου ακουεις αλλ ουκ οιδας ποθεν ερχεται και που υπαγει ουτως εστιν πας ο γεγεννημενος εκ του πνευματος
9.	Nicodemus answered, and said to him: How can these things be done?	Respondit Nicodemus, et dixit ei : Quomodo possunt hæc fieri ?	απεκριθη νικοδημος και ειπεν αυτω πως δυναται ταυτα γενεσθαι
10.	Jesus answered, and said to him: Art thou a master in Israel, and knowest not these things?	Respondit Jesus, et dixit ei : Tu es magister in Israël, et hæc ignoras ?	απεκριθη ιησους και ειπεν αυτω συ ει ο διδασκαλος του ισραηλ και ταυτα ου γινωσκεις
11.	Amen, amen I say to thee, that we speak what we know, and we testify what we have seen, and you receive not our testimony.	amen, amen dico tibi, quia quod scimus loquimur, et quod vidimus testamur, et testimonium nostrum non accipitis.	αμην αμην λεγω σοι οτι ο οιδαμεν λαλουμεν και ο εωρακαμεν μαρτυρουμεν και την μαρτυριαν ημων ου λαμβανετε
12.	If I have spoken to you earthly things, and you believe not; how will you believe, if I shall speak to you heavenly things?	Si terrena dixi vobis, et non creditis : quomodo, si dixero vobis cælestia, credetis ?	ει τα επιγεια ειπον υμιν και ου πιστευετε πως εαν ειπω υμιν τα επουρανια πιστευσετε
13.	And no man hath ascended into heaven, but he that descended from heaven, the Son of man who is in heaven.	Et nemo ascendit in cælum, nisi qui descendit de cælo, Filius hominis, qui est in cælo.	και ουδεις αναβεβηκεν εις τον ουρανον ει μη ο εκ του ουρανου καταβας ο υιος του ανθρωπου ο ων εν τω ουρανω
14.	And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of man be lifted up:	Et sicut Moyses exaltavit serpentem in deserto, ita exaltari oportet Filium hominis :	και καθως μωσης υψωσεν τον οφιν εν τη ερημω ουτως υψωθηναι δει τον υιον του ανθρωπου
15.	That whosoever believeth in him, may not perish; but may have life everlasting.	ut omnis qui credit in ipsum, non pereat, sed habeat vitam æternam.	ινα πας ο πιστευων εις αυτον μη αποληται αλλ εχη ζωην αιωνιον

4 posted on 04/05/2016 6:48:01 PM PDT by annalex (fear them not)

7. Marvel not that I said to you, You must be born again.
8. The wind blows where it lists, and you hear the sound thereof, but can not tell whence it comes, and whither it goes; so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

CHRYS Do not look then for any material production, or think that the Spirit generates flesh; for even the Lord's flesh is generated not by the Spirit only, but also by the flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spiritual. The birth here spoken of takes place not according to our substance, but according to honor and grace. But the birth of the Son of God is otherwise; for else what would He have been more than all who are born again? And He would be proved too inferior to the Spirit, inasmuch as His birth would be by the grace of the Spirit. How does this differ from the Jewish doctrine? - But mark next the part of the Holy Spirit, in the divine work. For whereas above some are said to be born of God, here, we find, the Spirit generates them. - The wonder of Nicodemus being roused again by the words, He who is born of the Spirit is spirit, Christ meets him again with an instance from nature; Marvel not that I said to you, You must be born again. The expression, Marvel not, shows that Nicodemus was surprised at His doctrine. He takes for this instance some thing, not of the grossness of other bodily things, but still removed from the incorporeal nature, the wind; The wind blows where it lists, and you hear the sound thereof, but can not tell whence it comes, and whither it goes: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. That is to say, if no one can restrain the wind from going where it will; much less can the laws of nature, whether the condition of our natural birth, or any other, restrain the action of the Spirit. That He speaks of the wind here is plain, from His saving, You hear the sound thereof, i.e. its noise when it strikes objects. He would not in talking to an unbeliever and ignorant person, so describe the action of the Spirit. He says, Blows where it lists; not meaning any power of choice in the wind, but only its natural movements, in their uncontrolled power. But can not tell whence it comes or whither it goes; i.e. If you can not explain the action of this wind which comes under the cognizance both of your feeling and hearing, why examine into the operation of the Divine Spirit? He adds, So is every one that is born of the Spirit.

AUG. But who of us does not see, for example, that the south wind blows from south to north, another wind from the east, another from the west? And how then do we not know whence the wind comes, and whither it goes?

BEDE. It is the Holy Spirit therefore, Who blows where He lists. It is in His own power to choose, whose heart to visit with in His enlightening grace. And you hear the sound thereof. When one filled with the Holy Spirit is present with you and speaks to you.

AUG. The Psalm sounds, the Gospel sounds, the Divine Word sounds; it is the sound of the Spirit. This means that the Holy Spirit is invisibly present in the Word and Sacrament, to accomplish our birth.

ALCUIN. Therefore, You know not whence it comes, or whither it goes; for, although the Spirit should possess a person in your presence at a particular time, it could not be seen how He entered into him, or how He went away again, because He is invisible.

HAYMO. Or, You can not tell whence it comes; i.e. you know not how He brings believers to the faith; or whither it goes, i.e. how He directs the faithful to their hope. And so is every one that is born of the Spirit; as if He said, The Holy Spirit is an invisible Spirit; and in like manner, every one who is born of the Spirit is born invisibly.

AUG. Or thus: If you are born of the Spirit, you will be such, that he, who is not yet born of the Spirit, will not know whence you come, or whither you go. For it follows, So is every one that is born of the Spirit.

THEOPHYL. This completely refutes Macedonius the impugner of the Spirit, who asserted that the Holy Ghost was a servant. The Holy Ghost, we find, works by His own power, where here He will, and what He will.

9. Nicodemus answered and said to him, How can these things be?
10. Jesus answered and said to him, Are you a master of Israel, and know not these things?
11. Verily, verily, I say to you, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and you receive not our witness.
12. If I have told you earthly things, and you believe not, how shall you believe, if I tell you of heavenly things.

HAYMO. Nicodemus cannot take in the mysteries of the Divine Majesty, which our Lord reveals, and therefore asks how it is, not denying the fact, not meaning any censure, but wishing to be informed: Nicodemus answered and said to Him, How can these things be?

CHRYS. Forasmuch then as he still remains a Jew, and, after such clear evidence, persists in a low and carnal system, Christ addresses him henceforth with greater severity: Jesus answered and said to him, Are you a master in Israel, and know not these things?

AUG. What think we? that our Lord wished to insult this master in Israel? He wished him to be born of the Spirit: and no one is born of the Spirit except he is made humble; for this very humility it is, which makes us to be born of the Spirit. He however was inflated with his eminence as a master, and thought himself of importance because he was a doctor of the Jews. Our Lord then casts down his pride, in order that he may be born of the Spirit.

CHRYS. Nevertheless He does not charge the man with wickedness, but only with want of wisdom, and enlightenment. But some one will say, What connection has this birth, of which Christ speaks, with Jewish doctrines? Thus much. The first man that was made, the woman that was made out of his rib, the barren that bare, the miracles which were worked by means of water, I mean, Elijah's bringing up the iron from the river, the passage of the Red Sea, and Naaman the Syrian's purification in the Jordan, were all types and figures of the spiritual birth, and of the purification which was to take place thereby. Many passages in the Prophets too have a hidden reference to this birth: as that in the Psalms, Making you young and lusty as an eagle: and, Blessed is he whose unrighteousness is forgiven. And again, Isaac was a type of this birth. Referring to these passages, our Lord says, Are you a master in Israel, and know not these things? A second time however He condescends to his infirmity, and makes use of a common argument to render what He has said credible: Verily, verily, I say to you, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen, and you receive not our testimony. Sight we consider the most certain of all the senses; so that when we say, we saw such a thing with our eyes, we seem to compel men to believe us. In like manner Christ, speaking after the manner of men, does not indeed say that he has seen actually, i.e. with the bodily eye, the mysteries He reveals; but it is clear that He means it of the most certain absolute knowledge. This then, viz. That we do know, he asserts of Himself alone.

HAYMO. Why, it is He asked, does He speak in the plural number, We speak that we do know? Because the speaker being the Only-Begotten Son of God, He would show that the Father was in the Son, and the Son in the Father, and the Holy Ghost from both, proceeding indivisibly.

ALCUIN. Or, the plural number may have this meaning; I, and they who are born again of the Spirit, alone understand what we speak; and having seen the Father in secret, this we testify openly to the world; and you, who are carnal and proud, receive not our testimony.

THEOPHYL. This is not said of Nicodemus, but of tile Jewish race, who to the very last persisted in unbelief.

CHRYS. They are words of gentleness, not of anger; a lesson to us, when we argue and cannot converse, not by sore and angry words, but by the absence of anger and clamor, (for clamor is the material of anger,) to prove the soundness of our views. Jesus in entering upon high doctrines, ever checks Himself in compassion to the weakness of His hearer: and does not dwell continuously on the most important truths, but turns to others more humble. Whence it follows: If I have told you earthly things, and you believe not, how shall you believe if I tell you of heavenly things.

AUG. That is: If you do not believe that I can raise up a temple, which you have thrown down, how can you believe that men can be regenerated by the Holy Ghost?

CHRYS, Or thus: Be not surprised at His calling Baptism earthly. It is performed upon earth, and is compared with that stupendous birth, which is of the substance of the Father, an earthly birth being one of mere grace. And well has He said, not, You understand not, but, You believe not: for when the understanding cannot take in certain truths, we attribute it to natural deficiency or ignorance: but where that is not received which it belongs to faith only to receive, the fault is not deficiency, but unbelief. These truths, however, were revealed that posterity might believe and benefit by them, though the people of that age did not.

13. And no man has ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

AUG. After taking notice of this lack of knowledge in a person, who, on the strength of his magisterial station, set himself above others, and blaming the unbelief of such men, our Lord says, that if such as these do not believe, others will: No one has ascended into heaven, but He that came down from heaven, even the Son of man who is in heaven. This may be rendered: The spiritual birth shall be of such sort, as that men from being earthly shall become heavenly: which will not be possible, except they are made members of Me; so that he who ascends, becomes one with Him who descended. Our Lord accounts His body, i.e. His Church, as Himself.

GREG. Forasmuch as we are made one with Him, to the place from which He came alone in Himself, thither He returns alone in us; and He who is ever in heaven, daily ascends to heaven.

AUG. Although He was made the Son of man upon earth, yet His Divinity with which, remaining in heaven, He descended to earth, He has declared not to disagree with the title of Son of man, as He has thought His flesh worthy the name of Son of God. For through the Unity of person, by which both substances are one Christ, He walked upon earth, being Son of God; and remained in heaven, being Son of man. And the belief of the greater, involves belief in the less. If then the Divine substance, which is so far more removed from us, and could for our sake take up the substance of man so as to unite them in one person; how much more easily may we believe, that the Saints united with the man Christ, become with Him one Christ, so that while it is true of all, that they ascend by grace, it is at the same time true, that He alone ascends to heaven, Who came down from heaven.

CHRYS. Or thus: Nicodemus having said, We know that You are a teacher sent from God; our Lord says, And no man has ascended, &c. in that He might not appear to be a teacher only like one of the Prophets.

THEOPHYL. But when you hear that the Son of man came down from heaven, think not that His flesh came down from heaven; for this is the doctrine of those heretics, who held that Christ took His Body from heaven, and only passed through the Virgin.

CHRYS. By the title Son of man here, He does not mean His flesh, but Himself altogether; the lesser part of His nature being put to express the whole. It is not uncommon with Him to name Himself wholly from His humanity, or wholly from His divinity.

BEDE; If a man of set purpose descend naked to the valley, and there providing himself with clothes and armor, ascend the mountain again, he who ascended may be said to be the same with him who descended.

HILARY; Or, His descending from heaven is the source of His origin as conceived by the Spirit: Mary gave not His body its origin, though the natural qualities of her sex contributed its birth and increase. That He is the Son of man is from the birth of the flesh which was conceived in the Virgin. That He is in heaven is form the power of His everlasting nature, which did not contract the power of the Word of God, which is infinite, within the sphere of a finite body. Our Lord remaining in the form of a servant, far from the whole circle, inner and outer, of heaven and the world, yet as Lord of heaven and the world, was not absent therefrom. So then He came down from heaven because He was the Son of man; and He was in heaven, because the Word, which was made flesh, had not ceased to be the Word.

AUG. But you wonder that He was at once here, and in heaven. Yet such power has He given to His disciples. Hear Paul, Our conversation is in heaven. If the man Paul walked upon earth, and had his conversation in heaven; shall not the God of heaven and earth be able to be in heaven and earth?

CHRYS. That too which seems very lofty is still unworthy of His vastness. For He is not in heaven only, but every where, and fills all things. But for the present He accommodates Himself to the weakness of His hearer, that by degrees He may convert him.

14. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
15. That whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

CHRYS. Having made mention of the gift of baptism, He proceeds to the source of it, i.e. the cross: And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up.

BEDE; He introduces the teacher of the Mosaic law, to the spiritual sense of that law; by a passage from the Old Testament history, which was intended to be a figure of His Passion, and of man's salvation.

AUG. Many dying in the wilderness from the attack of the serpents, Moses, by commandment of the Lord, lifted up a brazen serpent and those who looked upon it were immediately healed. The lifting up of the serpent is the death of Christ; the cause, by a certain mode of construction, being put for the effect. The serpent was the cause of death, inasmuch as he persuaded man into that sin, by which he merited death. Our Lord, however, did not transfer sin, i.e. the poison of the serpent, to his flesh, but death; in order that in the likeness of sinful flesh, there might be punishment without sin, by virtue of which sinful flesh might be delivered both from punishment and from sin.

THEOPHYL. See then the aptness of the figure. The figure of the serpent has the appearance of the beast, but not its poison: in the same way Christ came in the likeness of sinful flesh, being free from sin. By Christ's being lifted up, understand His being suspended on high, by which suspension He sanctified the air, even as He had sanctified the earth by walking upon it. Herein too is typified the glory of Christ: for the height of the cross was made His glory for in that He submitted to be judged, He judged the prince of this world; for Adam died justly, because he sinned; out Lord unjustly, because He did no sin. So He overcame him, who delivered Him over to death, and thus delivered Adam from death. And in this the devil found himself vanquished, that he could not upon the cross torment our Lord into hating His murderers: but only made Him love and pray for them the more. In this way the cross of Christ was made His lifting up, and glory.

CHRYS. Wherefore He does not say, The Son of man must be suspended, but lifted up, a more honorable term, but coming near the figure. He uses the figure to show that the old dispensation is akin to the new, and to show on His hearers' account that He suffered voluntarily; and that His death issued in life.

AUG. As then formerly he who looked to the serpent that was lifted up, was healed of its poison, and saved from death; so now he who is conformed to the likeness of Christ's death by faith and the grace of baptism, is delivered both from sin by justification, and from death by the resurrection: as He Himself said; That whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. What need then is there that the child should be conformed by baptism to the death of Christ, if he be not altogether tainted by the poisonous bite of the serpent?

CHRYS. Observe; He alludes to the Passion obscurely, in consideration to His hearer; but the fruit of the Passion He unfolds plainly; viz. that they who believe in the Crucified One should not perish. And if they who believe in the Crucified live, much more shall the Crucified One Himself.

AUG. But there is this difference between the figure and the reality, that the one recovered from temporal death, the other from eternal.

Catena Aurea John 3

5 posted on 04/05/2016 6:49:04 PM PDT by annalex (fear them not)

Baptismal font

Reiner de Huy

1107-18
Cast bronze, height 60 cm, diameter 80 cm
Saint-Barthélemy, Liège

6 posted on 04/05/2016 6:50:25 PM PDT by annalex (fear them not)

From: Acts 4:32-37

The Way of Life of the Early Christians

[32] Now the company of those who believed were one heart and soul, and no
one said that any of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had
everything in common. [33] And with great power the Apostles gave their testi-
mony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.
[34] There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were posses-
sors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of what was sold
[35] and laid it at the Apostles’ feet; and distribution was made to each as any
had need. [36] Thus Joseph who was surnamed by the Apostles Barnabas
(which means, son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, [37] sold a
field which belonged to him, and brought the money and laid it at the Apostles’
feet.

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

32-37. Here we are given a second summary of the life of the first Christian com-
munity — which, presided over by Peter and the other Apostles, was the Church,
the entire Church of Jesus Christ. The Church of God on earth was only begin-
ning, all contained within the Jerusalem foundation. Now every Christian commu-
nity — no matter how small it be — which is in communion of faith and obedience
with the Church of Rome is the Church.

“The Church of Christ”, Vatican II teaches, “is really present in all legitimately
organized local groups of the faithful, which, in so far as they are united to their
pastors, are also quite appropriately called churches in the New Testament. [...]
In them the faithful are gathered together through the preaching of the Gospel of
Christ, and the mystery of the Lord’s Supper is celebrated. [...] In each altar
community, under the sacred ministry of the bishop, a manifest symbol is to be
seen of that charity and ‘unity of the Mystical Body, without which there can be
no salvation’ (”Summa Theologiae”, III, q. 73, a. 3). In these communities, though
they may often be small and poor, or existing in the diaspora, Christ is present
through whose power and influence the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church
is constituted” (”Lumen Gentium”, 26).

32. The text stresses the importance of “being one”: solidarity, unity, is a virtue
of good Christians and one of the marks of the Church: “The Apostles bore wit-
ness to the Resurrection not only by word by also by their virtues” (Chrysostom,
“Hom. on Acts”, 11). The disciples obviously were joyful and self-sacrificing.
This disposition, which results from charity, strives to promote forgiveness and
harmony among the brethren, all sons and daughters of the same Father. The
Church realizes that this harmony is often threatened by rancor, envy, misun-
derstanding and self-assertion. By asking, in prayers and hymns like “Ubi Cari-
tas”, for evil disputes and conflicts to cease, “so that Christ our God may dwell
among us”, it is drawing its inspiration from the example of unity and charity left
it by the first Christian community in Jerusalem.

Harmony and mutual understanding among the disciples both reflect the internal
and external unity of the Church itself and helps its practical implementation.

There is only one Church of Jesus Christ because it has only “one Lord, one bap-
tism” (Ephesians 4:5), and only one visible head — the Pope — who represents
Christ on earth. The model and ultimate source of this unity is the Trinity of divine
persons, that is, “the unity of one God, the Father and the son in the Holy Spirit”
(Vatican II, “Unitatis Redintegratio”, 2). This characteristic work of the Church is
visibly expressed: in confession of one and the same faith, in one system of go-
vernment, in the celebration of the same form of divine worship, and in fraternal
concord among all God’s family (cf. “ibid.”).

The Church derives its life from the Holy Spirit; a main factor in nourishing this
life and thereby reinforcing the Church’s unity is the Blessed Eucharist: it acts
in a mysterious but real way, incessantly, to build up the Mystical Body of the
Lord.

God desires all Christians separated from the Church (they have Baptism, and
the Gospel truths in varying degrees) to find their way back to the flock of Christ
— which they can do by spiritual renewal, and prayer, dialogue and study.

34-35. St. Luke comes back again to the subject of renunciation of possessions,
repeating what he says in 2:44 and going on to give two different kinds of exam-
ple — that of Barnabas (4:36f) and that of Ananias and Sapphira (5:1f).

The disciples’ detachment from material things does not only mean that they
have a caring attitude to those in need. It also shows their simplicity of heart,
their desire to pass unnoticed and the full confidence they place in the Twelve.
“They gave up their possessions and in doing so demonstrated their respect for
the Apostles. For they did not presume to give it into their hands, that is, they
did not present it ostentatiously, but left it at their feet and made the Apostles
its owners and dispensers” (Chrysostom, “Hom. on Acts”, 11).

The text suggests that the Christians in Jerusalem had an organized system for
the relief of the poor in the community. Judaism had social welfare institutions
and probably the early Church used one of these as a model. However, the Chris-
tian system of helping each according to his need would have had characteris-
tics of its own, deriving from the charity from which it sprang and as a result of
gradual differentiation from the Jewish way of doing things.

36-37. Barnabas is mentioned because of his generosity and also in view of his
important future role in the spreading of the Gospel. It will be he who introduces
the new convert Saul to the Apostles (9:27). Later, the Apostles will send him
to Antioch when the Christian church begins to develop there (11:22). He will be
Paul’s companion on his first journey (13:2) and will go up to Jerusalem with him
in connection with the controversy about circumcising Gentile converts (15:2).

*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

7 posted on 04/05/2016 7:04:31 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

From: John 3:7b-15

The Visit of Nicodemus (Continuation)

(Jesus said to Nicodemus,) [7] ‘You must be born anew.’ [8] The wind blows
where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know whence it
comes and whether it goes; so it is with every one who is born of the Spirit.” [9]
Nicodemus said to Him, “How can this be?” [10] Jesus answered him, “Are you
a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand this? [11] Truly, truly, I say to
you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen; but you
do not receive our testimony. [12] If I have told you earthly things and you do not
believe, how can you believe if I tell you Heavenly things? [13] No one has ascen-
ded into Heaven but He who descended from Heaven, the Son of Man. [14] And
as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lif-
ted up, [15] that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life.”

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

3-8. Nicodemus’ first question shows that he still has doubts about Jesus (is He
a prophet, is He the Messiah?); and our Lord replies to him in a completely unex-
pected way: Nicodemus presumed He would say something about His mission
and, instead, He reveals to him an astonishing truth: one must be born again, in
a spiritual birth, by water and the Spirit; a whole new world opens up before Nico-
demus.

Our Lord’s words also paint a limitless horizon for the spiritual advancement of
any Christian who willingly lets himself or herself be led by divine grace and the
gifts of the Holy Spirit, which are infused at Baptism and enhanced by the Sac-
raments. As well as opening his soul to God, the Christian also needs to keep
at bay his selfish appetites and the inclinations of pride, if he is to understand
what God is teaching him in his soul: “Therefore must the soul be stripped of all
things created, and of its own actions and abilities — namely, of its understanding,
perception and feelings — so that, when all that is unlike God and unconformed
to Him is cast out, the soul may receive the likeness of God; and nothing will
then remain in it that is not the will of God and it will thus be transformed in God.
Wherefore, although it is true that, as we have said, God is ever in the soul, gi-
ving it, and through His presence conserving within it, its natural being, yet He
does not always communicate supernatural being to it. For this is communica-
ted only by love and grace, which not all souls possess; and all those that pos-
ses it have it not in the same degree; for some have attained more degrees of
love and others fewer. Wherefore God communicates Himself most to that soul
that has progressed farthest in love; namely, that has its will in closest confor-
mity with the will of God. And the soul that has attained complete conformity
and likeness of will is totally united and transformed in God supernaturally” (St.
John of the Cross, “Ascent of Mount Carmel”, book II, chap. 5).

Jesus speaks very forcefully about man’s new condition: it is no longer a ques-
tion of being born of the flesh, of the line of Abraham (cf. Jn 1:13), but of being
reborn through the action of the Holy Spirit, by means of water. This is our Lord’s
first reference to Christian Baptism, confirming John the Baptist’s prophecy (cf.
Mt 3:11; Jn 1:33) that He had come to institute a baptism with the Holy Spirit.

“Nicodemus had not yet savored this Spirit and this life. [...]. He knew but one
birth, which is from Adam and Eve; that which is from God and the Church, he
did not know; he knew only the paternity which engenders to death; he did not
yet know the paternity which engenders to life. [...]. Whereas there are two
births, he knew only of one. One is of earth, the other is of Heaven; one is of
the flesh, the other of the Spirit; one of mortality, the other of eternity; one of
male and female, the other of God and the Church. But the two are each unique;
neither one nor the other can be repeated” (St. Augustine, “In Ioann. Evang.”,
11, 6).

Our Lord speaks of the wonderful effects the Holy Spirit produces in the soul of
the baptized. Just as with the wind — when it blows we realize its presence, we
hear it whistling, but we do not know where it came from, or where it will end up
— so with the Holy Spirit, the Divine “Breath” (”pneuma”) given us in Baptism:
we do not know how He comes to penetrate our heart but He makes His pre-
sence felt by the change in the conduct of whoever receives Him.

10-12. Even though Nicodemus finds them puzzling, Jesus confirms that His
words still stand, and He explains that He speaks about the things of Heaven
because that is where He comes from, and to make Himself understood He
uses earthly comparisons and images. Even so, this language will fail to con-
vince those who adopt an attitude of disbelief.

St. John Chrysostom comments: “It was with reason that He said not: ‘You do
not understand,’ but: ‘You do not believe.’ When a person baulks and does not
readily accept things which it is possible for the mind to receive, he may with
reason be accused of stupidity; when he does not accept things which it is not
possible to grasp by reason but only by faith, the charge is no longer that of stu-
pidity, but of incredulity” (”Hom. on St. John”, 27, 1).

13. This is a formal declaration of the divinity of Jesus. No one has gone up into
Heaven and, therefore, no one can have perfect knowledge of God’s secrets, ex-
cept God Himself who became man and came down from Heaven — Jesus, the
second Person of the Blessed Trinity, the Son of Man foretold in the Old Testa-
ment (cf. Dan 7:13), to whom has been given eternal Lordship over all peoples.

The Word does not stop being God on becoming man: even when He is on earth
as man, He is in Heaven as God. It is only after the Resurrection and the Ascen-
sion that Christ is in Heaven as man also.

14-15. The bronze serpent which Moses set up on a pole was established by
God to cure those who had been bitten by the poisonous serpents in the desert
(cf. Numbers 21:8-9). Jesus compares this with His crucifixion, to show the va-
lue of His being raised up on the cross: those who look on Him with faith can
obtain salvation. We could say that the good thief was the first to experience
the saving power of Christ on the cross: he saw the crucified Jesus, the King
of Israel, the Messiah, and was immediately promised that he would be in Pa-
radise that very day (cf. Luke 23:39-43).

The Son of God took on our human nature to make known the hidden mystery
of God’s own life (cf. Mark 4:11; John 1:18; 3:1-13; Ephesians 3:9) and to free
from sin and death those who look at Him with faith and love and who accept
the cross of every day.

The faith of which our Lord speaks is not just intellectual acceptance of the
truths He has taught: it involves recognizing Him as Son of God (cf. 1 John 5:1),
sharing His very life (cf. John 1:12) and surrendering ourselves out of love and
therefore becoming like Him (cf. John 10:27; 1 John 3:2). But this faith is a gift
of God (cf. John 3:3, 5-8), and we should ask Him to strengthen it and increase
it as the Apostles did: Lord “increase our faith!” (Luke 17:5). While faith is a su-
pernatural, free gift, it is also a virtue, a good habit, which a person can practise
and thereby develop: so the Christian, who already has the divine gift of faith,
needs with the help of grace to make explicit acts of faith in order to make this
virtue grow.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

8 posted on 04/05/2016 7:05:16 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible by Darton, Longman & Todd

Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: White.

First reading	Acts 4:32-37 ©

The whole group of believers was united, heart and soul; no one claimed for his own use anything that he had, as everything they owned was held in common.

The apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus with great power, and they were all given great respect.

None of their members was ever in want, as all those who owned land or houses would sell them, and bring the money from them, to present it to the apostles; it was then distributed to any members who might be in need.

There was a Levite of Cypriot origin called Joseph whom the apostles surnamed Barnabas (which means ‘son of encouragement’). He owned a piece of land and he sold it and brought the money, and presented it to the apostles.

Responsorial Psalm	Psalm 92:1-2,5 ©

The Lord is king, with majesty enrobed.

Alleluia!

The Lord is king, with majesty enrobed;

the Lord has robed himself with might,

he has girded himself with power.

The Lord is king, with majesty enrobed.

Alleluia!

The world you made firm, not to be moved;

your throne has stood firm from of old.

From all eternity, O Lord, you are.

The Lord is king, with majesty enrobed.

Alleluia!

Truly your decrees are to be trusted.

Holiness is fitting to your house,

O Lord, until the end of time.

The Lord is king, with majesty enrobed.

Alleluia!

Gospel Acclamation	cf.Rv1:5

Alleluia, alleluia!

You, O Christ, are the faithful witness,

the First-born from the dead,

you have loved us and have washed away our sins with your blood.

Alleluia!

Or	Jn3:15

Alleluia, alleluia!

The Son of Man must be lifted up

so that everyone who believes in him

may have eternal life.

Alleluia!

Gospel	John 3:7-15 ©

Jesus said to Nicodemus:

‘Do not be surprised when I say:

You must be born from above.

The wind blows wherever it pleases;

you hear its sound,

but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going.

That is how it is with all who are born of the Spirit.’

‘How can that be possible?’ asked Nicodemus. ‘You, a teacher in Israel, and you do not know these things!’ replied Jesus.

‘I tell you most solemnly,

we speak only about what we know

and witness only to what we have seen

and yet you people reject our evidence.

If you do not believe me when I speak about things in this world,

how are you going to believe me when I speak to you about heavenly things?

No one has gone up to heaven

except the one who came down from heaven,

the Son of Man who is in heaven;

and the Son of Man must be lifted up

as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,

so that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.’

9 posted on 04/05/2016 8:05:04 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

Pray for Pope Francis.

10 posted on 04/05/2016 8:09:45 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

11 posted on 04/05/2016 8:10:08 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

12 posted on 04/05/2016 8:10:33 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

13 posted on 04/05/2016 8:11:21 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

14 posted on 04/05/2016 8:11:49 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

15 posted on 04/05/2016 8:12:15 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

Jesus, High Priest

We thank you, God our Father, for those who have responded to your call to priestly ministry.

Accept this prayer we offer on their behalf: Fill your priests with the sure knowledge of your love.

Open their hearts to the power and consolation of the Holy Spirit.

Lead them to new depths of union with your Son.

Increase in them profound faith in the Sacraments they celebrate as they nourish, strengthen and heal us.

Lord Jesus Christ, grant that these, your priests, may inspire us to strive for holiness by the power of their example, as men of prayer who ponder your word and follow your will.

O Mary, Mother of Christ and our mother, guard with your maternal care these chosen ones, so dear to the Heart of your Son.

Intercede for our priests, that offering the Sacrifice of your Son, they may be conformed more each day to the image of your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Saint John Vianney, universal patron of priests, pray for us and our priests

This icon shows Jesus Christ, our eternal high priest.

The gold pelican over His heart represents self-sacrifice.

The border contains an altar and grapevines, representing the Mass, and icons of Melchizedek and St. Jean-Baptiste Vianney.

Melchizedek: king of righteousness (left icon) was priest and king of Jerusalem. He blessed Abraham and has been considered an ideal priest-king.

St. Jean-Baptiste Vianney is the patron saint of parish priests.

16 posted on 04/05/2016 8:18:19 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

17 posted on 04/05/2016 8:18:45 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

Pray a Rosary each day for our nation.

1. Sign of the Cross: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

2. The Apostles Creed: I BELIEVE in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from there He shall come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

3. The Lord's Prayer: OUR Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

4. (3) Hail Mary: HAIL Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and in the hour of our death. Amen. (Three times)

5. Glory Be: GLORY be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

6. Fatima Prayer: Oh, my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of your mercy.

Announce each mystery, then say 1 Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, 1 Glory Be and 1 Fatima prayer. Repeat the process with each mystery.

End with the Hail Holy Queen:
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve! To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears! Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us; and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus!

O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Final step -- The Sign of the Cross

The Mysteries of the Rosary By tradition, Catholics meditate on these Mysteries during prayers of the Rosary. The biblical references follow each of the Mysteries below.

The Sorrowful Mysteries

(Tuesdays and Fridays)

1. The Agony in the Garden (Matthew 26:36-46, Luke 22:39-46) [Spiritual fruit - God's will be done]
2. The Scourging at the Pillar (Matthew 27:26, Mark 15:15, John 19:1) [Spiritual fruit - Mortification of the senses]
3. The Crowning with Thorns (Matthew 27:27-30, Mark 15:16-20, John 19:2) [Spiritual fruit - Reign of Christ in our heart]
4. The Carrying of the Cross (Matthew 27:31-32, Mark 15:21, Luke 23:26-32, John 19:17) [Spiritual fruit - Patient bearing of trials]
5. The Crucifixion (Matthew 27:33-56, Mark 15:22-39, Luke 23:33-49, John 19:17-37) [Spiritual fruit - Pardoning of Injuries]

18 posted on 04/05/2016 8:19:36 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

St. Michael the Archangel

~ PRAYER ~

St. Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle
Be our protection against the wickedness
and snares of the devil;
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host,
by the power of God,
Cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits
who prowl through the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen
+

19 posted on 04/05/2016 8:20:44 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

From an Obama bumper sticker on a car:
"Pray for Obama. Psalm 109:8"

PLEASE JOIN US - Evening Prayer
Someone has said that if people really understood the full extent of the power we have available through prayer, we might be speechless.
Did you know that during WWII there was an advisor to Churchill who organized a group of people who dropped what they were doing every day at a prescribed hour for one minute to collectively pray for the safety of England, its people and peace?

There is now a group of people organizing the same thing here in America. If you would like to participate: Every evening at 9:00 PM Eastern Time (8:00 PM Central) (7:00 PM Mountain) (6:00 PM Pacific), stop whatever you are doing and spend one minute praying for the safety of the United States, our troops, our citizens, and for a return to a Godly nation. If you know anyone else who would like to participate, please pass this along. Our prayers are the most powerful asset we have. Please forward this to your praying friends.

20 posted on 04/05/2016 8:21:17 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794

April 5, 2016

Tuesday of the Second Week of Easter

Reading 1 Acts 4:32-37

Responsorial Psalm PS 93:1ab, 1cd-2, 5

Alleluia Jn 3:14-15

Gospel Jn 3:7b-15

Readings at Mass