Memorial of Saint Catherine of Siena, Virgin and Doctor of the Church
John 3:7-15
Born from Above

To be born again is to rediscover the freedom of being children of God. Jesus teaches that true rebirth comes from the Spirit—a breath of life that renews and frees. But so often, we find ourselves trapped in the very structures we created to support our faith. At first, these habits and routines serve us well. Yet over time, they can become rigid, lifeless. We forget God, and cling instead to the rules, the checklists, the routines.

The early Christian community in the Acts of the Apostles is a beautiful model of what the Church can be when fully open to the Spirit: a community of harmony, unity, and love (cf. Acts 4:32-37). While human weakness would soon bring problems and divisions, this “ideal” community was shown to us so we would know what is possible when we live in full openness to God.

Yet, even from the beginning, three things often broke this harmony: money, vanity, and gossip.
Money and the love of it divide hearts. As St. James and St. Paul point out, favouritism toward the rich and disregard for the poor wound the Church deeply (cf. James 2:2; 1 Cor 11:20-22). Vanity—the desire to be seen, to be praised—leads us away from humility and community. And gossip, that subtle yet powerful poison, destroys relationships and breeds division.

But the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of harmony, the love between the Father and the Son, and the One who creates unity where there is brokenness. He alone can free us from these traps of worldliness.

Let us ask the Lord for hearts that are docile to the Spirit. May He transform us and our communities so we may reflect the unity, simplicity, and love of the first believers. So today, let us ask the Lord: Breathe your Spirit into me. Set me free from what binds me. Make me new. And may our lives bear witness to the joy of being truly born from above.

© Claretian Publications, Hong Kong, China
Cum Approbatione Ecclesiastica 2025