Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. He came to Jesus by night and said to him, ‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.’ Jesus answered him, ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.’ – John 3: 1-3

Dear Friends,

On a starry night, Nicodemus came to visit Jesus. He came at night so that none of his friends would see him. He had met the lame man now signing up for dance lessons; had seen the formerly blind man who kept looking around with a wonderful smile on his face; had heard this carpenter-preacher speak about God as His closest friend. Nicodemus sensed that the Kingdom of God was present in this man from Nazareth.

Nicodemus also knew that the religious leaders and the whole temple business saw Jesus as a threat. These people were his friends. He had worked hard to attain the respect of his peers and was now an honored member of the Sanhedrin. He didn’t want to risk losing his standing in the community.

Jesus doesn’t mince words. He greets Nicodemus with a warm smile but tells him that he’s going to have to make a serious choice. He’s going to have to be willing to give up his popularity, his public honors, and learn to see things in a new way. He’s going to have to be born from above. Nicodemus protests that this is not possible. How could he risk losing all his social contacts, how could he expose his family to ridicule? Jesus talks about the power of the Spirit to transform lives, to usher in new beginnings. Nicodemus feigns ignorance of such matters. Jesus teases him, “But Nicodemus are you telling me that you, a teacher in Israel, are ignorant of the Spirit of God?”

We don’t know how that meeting ended. We do meet Nicodemus two more times. Once, Jesus came to Jerusalem quietly, to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. The people discover that Jesus is there, and gather around Him. The religious leaders get the message, and send the temple police to arrest him. When they return empty-handed, the authorities are not happy. The police tell them they don’t understand: “No man ever spoke as this man speaks.” The Pharisees then denigrate the pilgrims, calling them a rabble, which cares nothing for the law, and adds that a curse is upon them. In this angry scene, Nicodemus courageously reminds them that their Law demands that Jesus be given a hearing before they judge Him. They then ask Nicodemus if he has fallen under Jesus’ spell. He remains silent.

The last time we meet him is after Jesus has been crucified. Nicodemus and his friend Joseph of Arimathea come to Pilate and ask for the body of Jesus, so that they can give Him an honorable burial. Nicodemus’ heart is heavy. He kept quiet and now it is too late. He should have defended Jesus. He will now publicly declare his faith in Jesus’ goodness. But it’s too little, too late.

The good news is that it’s not too late. The good news is that Jesus didn’t need that tomb for very long. Nicodemus must have become one of the first generation of Christians, or how could we have come to know his story? Like Nicodemus, we too have missed many opportunities to fully live the Good News. Perhaps we are afraid to live our truth for fear of losing friends or social position or security. Perhaps we have become too comfortable for our own good. There is still time. Jesus still calls us to see things in a new way, to be born from above, to seek God’s kingdom above all else. Nicodemus agrees.

Peace,
Father Jerry