Faith Daily | 26 April 2022

PRAYER of the DAY - APBA p 505

Almighty God,

whose Son Jesus Christ is the resurrection and the life

of all who put their trust in him:

raise us, we pray, from the death of sin

to the life of righteousness;

that we may ever seek the things which are above,

where he reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

Amen

GOSPEL for the Day: John 3: 7-15

7Do not be astonished that I said to you, “You must be born from above.”* 8The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.’ 9Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can these things be?’ 10Jesus answered him, ‘Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?

11 ‘Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. 12If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

GOSPEL REFLECTION: Rev’d Josie

The Word of God Jesus said, 'Do not be astonished that I said to you, "You must be born from above." The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes.

How many times do we reference the wind when we are teaching children the lessons of life? How often do our younger humans, still learning what is and isn’t, insist that if they can’t see it or feel it or hold it it can’t exist, only to be asked to describe the wind? How many riddles end with an answer of “the wind”? How many great works of literature refer to the wind – the winds of change, the wind from the ocean, the wind whispers and roars and comes and goes as it pleases.

How fitting, then, that when trying to describe the nature of God to Nicodemus Jesus refers to the wind. Unknowable but unmissable, beyond categorising, unable to be held or grasped but ever present. Good one Jesus.

FINAL PRAYER Michael Leunig from A Common Prayer

God give us rain when we expect sun.

Give us music when we expect trouble.

Give us tears when we expect breakfast.

Give us dreams when we expect a storm.

Give us a stray dog when we expect congratulations.

God play with us, turn us sideways and around.

Amen.