Homily: April 14, 2026 Tuesday of the Second Week of Easter (Simple Faith)

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 “If I tell you about earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?”

This first conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus happens early in John’s Gospel, but by then, Nicodemus would have already heard about Jesus and knew about some of the miracles He worked.

Nicodemus knew there was something different about Jesus, something beyond the ordinary, something possibly divine. Thus, he said, “No one can do these signs unless God is with him.”

Nicodemus was knowledgeable, and like the rest of the Jewish people, he was waiting for the Messiah. Yet he struggled to believe in Jesus.

Jesus often spoke to ordinary people using simple every day images – planting seeds, vineyards, shepherding, fishing – events which were familiar to the people of that time.

But when Jesus spoke to Nicodemus who was a learned man, He went deeper. He spoke about being born again, about the Spirit, about heavenly realities.

And Nicodemus struggled. Why?

Because even though he knew Scripture, even though he understood the traditions, he could not understand this: simple faith.

He knew so much about God that he could not simplify faith. He could not imagine the Messiah coming as a commoner. He could not visualize salvation happening in human ways.

Similarly, faith becomes challenging for people who are educated and intellectual - even for the clergy. We priests may know the Scriptures. We may know theology. We may know the traditions. But we may still lack faith.

Like Nicodemus, we need to have a personal encounter with Jesus. To have a deep conversation with Jesus, so that we can have a deep conversion of heart. To understand simple faith.

Faith is not just knowing about God.

Faith is trusting God.

Trust comes from encounter. Trust leads to surrender. To surrender like a child – totally open and receptive, trusting and believing, without doubt, without fear. That is faith.

Thus, Jesus told Nicodemus: You must be born again.

To begin again, as a child.

To start with nothing, so as to gain everything.

Only then will we believe in the earthly things Jesus warns us about, and the heavenly things He promises us.

May everyone of us encounter Jesus today.

Amen. 


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