Commentary on the Gospel of
If you believe, you will live
Today’s passage appeals to why one should believe in Jesus—the one who comes from heaven. John, the evangelist, uses the story of Nicodemus meeting Jesus to explain why people should believe in Jesus.
If we require information, we must seek it from the individual who holds that information. For instance, if we need information about a family, we can only obtain it directly from a family member. Similarly, if we seek information about God, we can only receive it from the Son of God. If we want information about heaven and heavenly life, we can only obtain it directly from the one who comes from heaven.
The Evangelist says that when Jesus speaks about God and heavenly things, it is not something he overheard, no second-hand tale gathered from secondary sources. Jesus' words are words about his Father and about the Kingdom of heaven! But John expresses his frustration and deep pain at the widespread rejection of Jesus. He is pained that no one accepts his testimony!
Every time we receive the Lord in the Eucharist, he renews and deepens his presence—the presence of his Holy Spirit. What other gifts can we ask from the Lord than the gift of life filled with the Spirit of Jesus—the person of Jesus—in abundance? This is the new birth that Jesus invites us into.
