Water, Light, and Wind

The Holy Trinity

Born of Water and Spirit - John 3:5

In today's gospel, Jesus explains the reign of God as patiently and clearly as he can to the bewildered Pharisee Nicodemus. Jesus evokes the images of three basic elements: water, light, and wind. Physical birth is accompanied by a rush of water. So it is with "being born of water and Spirit" (John 3:15). The rite of Holy Baptism recalls that the Spirit of God moved over the waters when God created heaven and earth. Tragically, much of the developing world is in desperate need of clean, portable water. How can we share in God's creation by helping to provide water to others?

A sunny day can lift our spirits, give us hope, and energize us. Many people suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), especially during the winter months when the hours of daylight each day are shortest. The resulting depression is a very real condition. Jesus states plainly that he is the light for which humanity has been longing (John 9:5). In Jesus, every day is the summer solstice, the longest day of the year.

Is there anything more comforting and healing at the end of a long day than climbing into bed between crisp sheets that have been washed and clothesline-dried? In them we experience the warm, wonderful smell of sunshine. The sound of the snap of the sheets billowing in the wind is clean and clear. " The wind blows where it chooses," Jesus tells Nicodemus, "and you hear the sound of it" (John 3:8).

We are called to share the waters of our baptism with a thirsty world. We shine the light of Christ in the dark corners of the world. We breathe to an airless world the words: "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life."

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