By Steve Hall
The very fact that I am a self-conscious individual necessitates that I have choices. This way or that? Up or down? Right or left? A “yes” always implies a “no.” Simple? Sure! And the persistent presence of that “no” is implied by the facts of consciousness and individuality. The inheritance of these characteristics plays a significant role in understanding the Gospel reading of the day.
Tuesday of the Second Week of Easter
Acts 4:32-37
John 3:7-15
Generally speaking, a child’s first words are considered a momentous occasion, and “Mama” and “Dada” in some form or another usually head the list of first words. But sooner or later, the child recognizes his long-standing inheritance from Adam and Eve, and the word “No” comes into play. It has to. The very fact that I am a self-conscious individual necessitates that I have choices.
This way or that? Up or down? Right or left? A “yes” always implies a “no.” Simple? Sure! And the persistent presence of that “no” is implied by the facts of consciousness and individuality. The inheritance of these characteristics plays a significant role in understanding the Gospel reading of the day.
‘You must be born from above.’
The details of this assertion are spelled out in the preceding verses.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” (John 3:3, 5-6)
From birth or before, we are aware that every child is one-of-a-kind. The individual is celebrated. Like The Little Prince, we glory in being unique in all the world. But along with the possibility of choosing — a product of individuality, consciousness, and self-awareness — comes the possibility of choosing poorly. We all know it because we have all done it —i.e., chosen poorly. Furthermore, we consistently associate those poor choices with youth or the persistence of youthful characteristics. We identify young adults (or even older adults) who manifest these juvenile traits as “unrealistic,” “not having enough real-life experience,” or even as “never having grown up.” Conversely, we also see the young person making wise choices, described as “old for his age.” Maturation is understood as the development of the ability to make wise choices.
While this is true, there is also something missing. Something we instinctively know, but also something which misses our conscious attention. What is it? It is the fact that both the “yes” and the “no” that we so casually use comprise the essence of our human nature. In order to choose, we must be conscious of the world, conscious of ourselves, and conscious of our “place” in the world. That is, we must be aware that we are distinct beings within the world.
Why is this important? It is through the choices that we decide how we will interact with our surroundings. Animal choices are based on the essentials for survival, but little more. That is true for birds finding a place to build a nest. That is true for the horse that jumps a barrier to eat the greener grass on the other side. That is true for the bear seeking a safe place to hibernate. Man builds his nest where he chooses; he raises his own “greener grass” in the place where he lives; he assesses the dangers in his surroundings and creates his own obstacles to danger. And … In a creative way, he goes beyond those basics to design the world he wants.
That’s why Jesus would say: “Unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Having been “born of the flesh,” we are endowed with the power to deal with the physical world, but that power is limited. It is limited even in the physical world, but even more so in the spiritual. There is, for example, a natural moral law, but we know it imperfectly. And even in the physical world, there is a “best,” “correct,” or “most productive” way to do things, but we often choose poorly.
That limitation is overcome by the one who is born anew, the one who has been “born of water and the Spirit.” At birth, we are transformed from inert matter into a being with physical life. In being born anew of water and the Spirit, we are transformed from a being with physical life to a being with divine life. It is in this state of having divine life — and only in this state — that it is possible to consistently align our “yes” and our “no” with the eternal “yes” and “no” of the Father.