2nd Week of Easter 2022 - Tuesday - Learning how to learn again

 Last week, throughout the Easter Octave, we read from each of the four Gospel writers, their accounts of Jesus' resurrection, and the Lord’s post-resurrection appearances to his disciples.

For the rest of the Easter Season, we will be reading from the Gospel of John—the discussion with Nicodemus this week from chapter 3, and onto chapter 6—the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and the great Bread of Life discourse next week.

In his first visit to Jerusalem during his public ministry, Jesus encountered the Pharisee Nicodemus. This encounter is quite different from the later encounters with the Pharisees, especially those of Holy Week. Nicodemus, though he is a “teacher of Israel” as Jesus calls him, takes the position of the student. Nicodemus seeks to understand who Jesus is and why he has come. And this sets him apart from the other Pharisees in the Gospel whose minds and hearts remain closed to Jesus.

There are many in our culture who treat Jesus and the Church with Pharisaical intellectual snobbery. “What could Jesus or the Church possibly have to teach me?” Even many “adult Catholics” refuse to crack open the Bible or the Catechism believing that they know it all or have nothing to gain from coming to deeper understanding of the faith. The Church is “Mater et Magistra”, Mother and Teacher, and too many of us refuse to sit in mother's lap and learn.

The Christian, however, is perpetually a disciple—a student. The Lord doesn’t want lip-service or flattery from us, he wants to teach us how to live.

The renewal that God may want for us this Easter may be to learn how to learn again: how to be open to being taught, how to encounter the timeless wisdom of Jesus in the Scriptures in a new way. 

I encourage you to read John chapter 3 today, to get a sense of this whole conversation. You’ll notice something right off the bat: as the conversation ensues, Nicodemus' remarks get shorter and shorter, while Jesus' answers get longer and longer. Recognizing who Jesus is, Nicodemus quiets down and allows Jesus to teach Him. In our daily meditation, we are to do the same. We are to open up the scriptures, and allow the Divine Word to speak to us, to teach us and challenged us, to guide and form us, for the glory of God and salvation of souls. 

- - - - - -  

Filled with Paschal joy, let us turn earnestly to God, to graciously hear our prayers and supplications.

For the shepherds of our souls, the pope, bishops, and clergy, that they may govern wisely the flock entrusted to them by the Good Shepherd leading us faithfully in the Gospel mandate.

For the whole world, that it may truly know the peace of the Risen Christ.

That our parish may bear witness with great confidence to the Resurrection of Christ, and that the newly initiated hold fast to the faith they have received. 

For our brothers and sisters who suffer, that their sorrow may be turned to gladness through the Christian faith.

That all of our beloved dead and all the souls in purgatory may come to the glory of the Resurrection.

O God, you know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the desires of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our lord.