Daily Meditation - Tuesday 1April 2008 - 2nd Week Easter - A BORN AGAIN CATHOLIC CHRISTIAN BAPTIZED IN THE HOLY SPIRIT

[BarbaraTherese]

Readings
usccb.org/nab/040108.shtml

Meditation
wau.org/meditations/meditations.asp?month=04&day=01&year=2008&x=6&y=4

Has anyone ever asked you if you are born again?

As long as you are a baptized Christian, you can answer “Yes!” The church has always taught that at baptism we are cleansed from original sin and reborn in the likeness of Jesus Christ.

Probably a more challenging question to ask is: “Am I experiencing the life-changing freedom that comes from being born again?” When Jesus spoke of being “born of the Spirit,” this is what he meant—not only submitting to the sacrament of baptism but showing its effects in our lives.

To say we are “born of the Spirit” does imply we are different.

• It means that to some extent we live above the cares of this world.
• It means that we carry with us an other-worldly peace in times of great hardship, and an undying hope in the midst of hopeless situations.
• This great peace comes from the Holy Spirit who lives in us, leading us through the trials and temptations we meet in this fallen world.
• With his grace working in us, we have the power to triumph over every difficult circumstance we face.

But none of this happens automatically.

We need to embrace what God has done for us. One way you can do this is to look at the Nicene Creed, a capsule summary of our faith. Read the first line: “I believe in God the Father, Creator of heaven and earth.” Reflect on the fact that God has given life to you and your family, and praise him for the beauty and wonder you see around you.

But don’t stop there! Over the next few days, try praying through the entire creed,*** and ask the Spirit to help you experience your faith in a deeper way.*** Allow him to renew you, and watch to see what changes occur in your heart. Then, when you recite the creed at Mass on Sunday, see if you don’t notice a difference.

God wants you to know that living “from above” is not a dream. It’s what he wants for you every day!

“Jesus, thank you for the new life you have given me!

Help me to see that I am truly a new creation in you.
May others be touched by the peace and joy you give me,
so they too will ask
: ‘What must I do to be born again?’ ”

 

[bwhite06517]

Imagine the following:

At your birth, an anonymous benefactor deposited 1 billion dollars (or Euros or whatever currency) in a bank account in your name. Your parents vaguely heard something about this, but didn’t really understand.

As you grew up, you didn’t know about this. Periodically, somebody tried to tell you something related to this - but you didn’t pay much attention - maybe even laughed at the thought of having a billion dollars (or scorned the idea).

Maybe, you have lived in poor surroundings, have done with nothing - not even understand that the interest on the money in the bank would have put you in the most exclusive of houses, with the finest food on the table.

=============================================

The reality is that at your baptism, God called you into His kingdom. Yes, you were ‘born again’. You had the inside track on a mansion that would be yours forever - in a perfect heaven!!!

Your parents may not have taken you to Mass - maybe dropped you off at the door for your CCD classes - just so you could make your first communion - to make the relatives happy. You were pretty much unaware that you were a member of God’s royal family!!!

Maybe later in life, you made the decision to come back to faith - to come back to the Church and the Sacraments - and to accept that gift that God gave you. Or … maybe you turned away from the Church - “who could believe all that junk” - and turned to other Gods - like money, fame, drugs and parties, and threw away your inheritance from God.

We are called to be God’s children - to inherit His kingdom - to live with Him forever in Heaven. All we need to do is to step out in faith and say “I believe”. We need to accept that gift made to us to be ‘born again’ - to live in His love and to accept his grace and mercy.