Tuesday of the Second Week of Easter

In today’s gospel, we meet Nicodemus. He was a very learned man, strong in his beliefs and convictions.  Then along comes Jesus who is asking him to think differently. Nicodemus struggles to understand because what Jesus is saying doesn’t align with what he has come to believe. He is having a hard time embracing these new ideas, which is why Jesus is asking him to let the Spirit in, be born anew.

Many times, when we think about letting Spirit in our lives, the word surrender surfaces, but I think what Jesus is trying to tell us today is that it isn’t so much about letting go as it is in opening up. Surrender means to give up and this is the opposite of what God wants for our relationship. God wants us to lean in. Being open requires us to work with the tension that is inherent in all relationships. It is in the tension that we form understanding and meaning.  

Today, let us pray for the openness and willingness to let the Spirit in our lives. Let us keep working on getting to know God through opening our hearts and our minds to his love.