This second week of Easter time we are looking at the conversation between Nicodemus and Jesus in the readings from the Gospel. Nicodemus was a pharisee. He was well educated, respected, and had an important position in the community. He was an expert on religious matters and the Law of Moises, the heart of Israel’s life and identity. With all that training and experience he is still looking for more and he goes to speak with Jesus. He goes to visit Jesus at night. Perhaps he did not want to publicly associate himself with something radically new or perhaps John, the evangelist, wants to empathize for us, how rigid religiosity does not produce true light.
When Nicodemus steps into the presence of the true light, he begins their conversation by commenting about Jesus’ mighty deeds and marvelous works. Nicodemus probably had great difficulty uniting Jesus’ marvelous works with his shocking teachings. Rather than respond to those controversies or starting a philosophical or theological debate, Jesus calls Nicodemus to be born from above and born of the Spirit. At this point in their conversation, Nicodemus gets struck. His conversion process is at a standstill. He knows Jesus comes from God because the marvelous deeds give testimony to that. But Nicodemus cannot accept being reborn into a new relationship with God, a God who loves and calls us to love.
In contrast to Nicodemus who is stuck in the darkness, we see today the light of the first Christian community in Jerusalem and Joseph in the reading from Acts. Joseph was a Levite, a temple priest, who served in the temple in rotating shifts as was the custom at that time. He was of course an expert on temple prayer, worship, ritual, and sacrifices. The presence of the risen Christ in Joseph’s life changed him into a sign of faith for others. He was able to sacrifice his importance as a priest and give up his rigid sacrificial relationship with God for a new relationship based on love and communion through Christ. So great were his action in love that the apostles re-named him Barnabus, son of encouragement. He was a light and encouragement to the whole community in Jerusalen. After the experience of the resurrection, the local community began to live with one heart, serving each other, and taking care of each other. The process of being born again produced a profound sense of communion among them and with God. They were able to live free of the constraints of jealousy, vengeance, violence, material goods, gossip, human justice, and punishment. This communion in the risen Christ is a crucial point in witnessing to the resurrection to others. They held and did everything in common – agape – love of the common good. They cared for each other as Christ cared for them.
Before the resurrection Nicodemus is stuck in the darkness of cold doctrine and rules. After the resurrection, Barnabus and the entire faith community in Jerusalem are reborn to become signs of encouragement. What new name would the apostles give you and our local faith community? Would it be “sons and daughters of encouragement” in the resurrection?
With great power the Apostles bore witness
to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus,
and great favor was accorded them all.
There was no needy person among them.
Image: CANVA CJ Dunn 12April2026 AI generated.