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Monday of the Second Week of Easter: Acts 4:23-31; Psalm 2:1-3, 4-7a, 7b-9; John 3:1-8

In today’s Gospel, we meet Nicodemus, a man who comes to Jesus by night, searching, questioning, wondering. Nicodemus is a man of good intentions. He recognizes that Jesus is sent by God. Yet, there is something in him that holds back, something not yet fully surrendered. He comes under the cover of darkness, both literally and spiritually, hesitant but longing for more.

And Jesus speaks to him words that open a whole new horizon: “Unless one is born from above, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.” Jesus is not talking about a physical rebirth but about a transformation that only the Spirit can accomplish — a new life that comes from God Himself. To be born again is to allow the Spirit to blow where He wills, to let go of our need for control, and to trust in the power of God to make all things new.

The early Church lived this reality. In the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, we find the disciples facing threats and opposition. But notice what they do: they do not retreat in fear. They do not ask God to take away the struggle. Instead, they pray for boldness. They pray that they may speak the Word with courage, that God’s healing hand may be seen even more clearly through them. And the answer is immediate: the place where they are gathered shakes, and they are all filled with the Holy Spirit.

This is what it means to be born from above: to live not according to human fear, but according to divine trust. To live with open hearts ready to be filled, moved, and sent by the Spirit. To live with a courage that does not come from ourselves but from the Risen Lord who breathes His life into us.

In the psalm today, we hear the nations raging, the powers of the world plotting, but God simply laughs at their pride. He has set His King on Zion; He has established His reign. No earthly power can undo what God has begun. This is our confidence. No matter how great the resistance, no matter how dark the night, the Spirit is at work, and the Kingdom is already among us.

Dear friends, Jesus invites each of us today, as He invited Nicodemus, to step out of the darkness and into the light. He invites us to be born from above, to let the Spirit renew our hearts, to let go of fear and control and to trust in His power. Like the early Christians, we are called not merely to survive in the world but to be bold witnesses, living signs that Jesus is alive.

The Spirit is still blowing. The Spirit is still stirring hearts. The Spirit is still building the Church. May we be open. May we be courageous. May we allow ourselves to be born again, not once, but again and again, until our lives proclaim by every breath: “Jesus is Lord!”

“When we meet, we share a single heart.”
We all long to be part of a community of people that experiences feelings of shared joy and connections when we gather throughout the year in Christ’s name. A living church is about the people and not the structure, however in this meeting we discuss the structures that help craft those experiences of togetherness for the coming year.
The ESRCCB AGM will take place immediately after Mass on May 4th in the Bruder Klaus Hall, lasting 30 – 45 minutes, ending with an apéro. We look forward to your presence and participation.

“The heart of a volunteer is not measured in size, but by the depth of the commitment to make a difference in the lives of others.”

The Nursery for babies and toddlers is in the Pre-sacristy room. Our Word of God program is tailored for children aged 4 to 7 years. It is offered during our weekly Mass on Sundays at 17.30. The children are invited downstairs before the Liturgy of the Word and return before the Liturgy of the Eucharist. The children are taught a Bible story (usually related to the Sunday readings), recite the Our Father, and complete a simple craft or word puzzle