the only hope
“Do not be surprised that I tell you you must all be begotten from above.” —John 3:7
Nicodemus was a member of the Sanhedrin, the Supreme Court of the Jewish people (Jn 3:1). He held “the office of teacher of Israel” (Jn 3:10). Yet he did not understand that we:
- must be “born again” (Jn 3:4),
- must be “begotten from above” (Jn 3:3), and
- can be “begotten of water and Spirit” (Jn 3:5).
Even today, after thousands of years of massive violence, injustice, war, deceit, and selfishness, most people are like Nicodemus. They don’t realize that our human nature is so fallen and wounded that it cannot be repaired or adequately controlled. Possibly they refuse to come to the obvious conclusion about the condition of our human nature because they believe it would leave them hopeless. They prefer a groundless, mindless hope to the stark truth.
Thankfully, we do not have to choose between being a naive fool or a candidate for suicide. Jesus is our Savior. He saved us by dying and rising for us (see 1 Cor 15:3-4). We can be baptized into His death and Resurrection (Rm 6:3-4). In Jesus, we can crucify our old nature (see Gal 5:24) and be raised as new creations (Gal 6:15).
The risen Jesus is our Savior, Hope, Truth, Life, Lord, and God. Worship Jesus and witness for Him.
Prayer: Father, give me so much love that I will proclaim the truth about the hope of new life in Christ.
Promise: “The community of believers were of one heart and one mind. None of them ever claimed anything as his own; rather, everything was held in common. With power the apostles bore witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.” —Acts 4:32-33
Praise: Keith is a gifted cook. He pours his talents into cooking “meals of love” for people on retreat, that they may be filled with Jesus as well as tasty food.
Reference:
Rescript: "In accord with the Code of Canon Law, I hereby grant the Nihil Obstat for the publication One Bread, One Body covering the time period from April 1, 2026, through May 31, 2026. Reverend Steve J. Angi, Chancellor, Vicar General, Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio October 22, 2025"
The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed.