HOMILY FOR TUESDAY OF THE SECOND WEEK OF EASTER YEAR B (1)

HOMILY FOR TUESDAY OF THE SECOND WEEK OF EASTER YEAR B

HOMILY THEME: YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN

BY: Fr. Benny Tuazon

(Jn. 3:7-15) Tuesday of the Second Week of Easter

In the day’s Gospel Jesus meets with Nicodemus. Nicodemus was one of those who was willing to listen to Jesus. He was portrayed as one who is open to what Jesus reveals. Jesus told Nicodemus the need to be born again of water and the Spirit. It was clear that the Jews were not aware of the redemption of Jesus. It will become clearer and pronounced after Jesus’s death and resurrection.

We, Catholics, were born again in water and the Spirit. In Baptism, we were brought to a new life with God. Having been freed from original sin through Jesus’s passion, death, and resurrection, we become a member of God’s family. In Confirmation, the Spirit is summoned in order to make its gifts effective. Being exposed and susceptible to the lure of the devil, the Spirit- strengthened confirmant possesses the necessary gifts not only to counter the evil spirit but also to launch an offensive in doing good. As God’s creatures, we came and belong to Him. It is God’s plan to gather us with Him. We belong to the heaven above. It is our home sweet home. Our Baptism and confirmation achieve that initial journey towards the Kingdom. The Spirit, hopefully, will be heard and followed in order to maintain the holiness obtained in the two sacraments.

Unfortunately, these two sacraments had become more ritual than sources of sanctifying and effective graces. Children seemed to have been baptized and confirmed out of tradition and not out of necessity for salvation. This is proven by the fact that the awareness of the sacraments only lasted during the ceremony. The irresponsibilities of parents and Godparents to guide the children to the faith add to this situation. In the process, the Spirit is “imprisoned” and the child grows up unaware of the benefits of the sacraments.