Monday of the Second Week of Easter (John 3:1-8) “Faith in the Guts” 2020

Monday of the Second Week of Easter (John 3:1-8) “Faith in the Guts”

“Born again” was a phrase that most have us have heard at one time or another as we have lived our religious lives.  As Catholics we probably associate this term with Protestant denominations. But it has a relevance for all Christians.

Nikodemus comes to Jesus because he feels there is something lacking in his faith.  This all seems very strange. Nikodemus was a well-educated religious Jew.  If he were around today, he probably would have several graduate degrees in Theology, yet he comes to Jesus.  Jesus is the blue-collar carpenter from Nazareth.  He has little education.

But Nikodemus feels that Jesus is more advanced in his faith.  Jesus preaches from personal experience.  Jesus has an intimate relationship with the Father. His religious experience does not come out of a book, but it is ingrained in him. 

Years ago, when I was in graduate school, I spent a month in the inner city of Indianapolis living with an African American family. The family was very poor, and their neighbors lived in poverty.  The church they attended was also not a wealthy congregation.  The minister had to have other jobs to support himself.  But many of the people we met in that immersion experience could eloquently talk of their faith.  At one point it was said that the many of the people that we encountered did not have faith in their head, no, they had faith in their guts.

Jesus was a man that had faith in his guts.  Nicodemus saw that and he wanted to have that same faith, because that is the belief that can sustain a person during the storms of life.  We pray that we may have such faith as we live this day.

Questions to Reflect on?

1. Have I every met a person who I would say had faith in their guts? Who was it and how did I know?

2. Is having faith in one’s guts like being born again?  Have I been born again?  How do I know?

Dear Parishioners,

          This week we should have a better idea how long it will be before we can hold public worship again.  I suspect it is going to take a while.  One of the things that I am sure that we miss is having Masses offered for deceased loved ones.

          Fr. Matthew and I take a Mass intention every day.  We are both at the 8 a.m. Mass during these days of confinement.  In May we will begin offer Masses for specific individuals again.  We will begin with those Masses that we skipped over during the last month. If a Mass was scheduled, but there was not a specific date requested we will offer those Masses first.

          Offering Masses on specific date is going to be tricky.  We will try to contact parishioners who have asked for specific times and dates to arrange Masses.  Hopefully, everyone will be able to attend via live streaming.  This is not a perfect situation, but we will do the best we can.

          May the Blessed Mother and all the angels and saints watch over you today.

                                                                             Fr. Mark