Praying the Communion Antiphon Series Eastertide: Monday of the Second Week of Easter

Praying the Communion Antiphon Series 

He Is Risen As He Said

Monday of the Second Week of Easter — Born from Above

Communion Antiphon
“Jesus stood in the midst of his disciples and said to them: Peace be with you, alleluia.” (cf. John 20:19)

 

 1. Thinking about the Words

“Jesus stood in the midst…”

Not at a distance. Not calling from afar.

In the midst

Right into:

• confusion
• fear
• uncertainty

 

Again we hear:

 “Peace be with you.”

This is not the first time.
And it won’t be the last.

Because peace is not given once.

 It is spoken again and again Until it begins to settle

 

 2. The Gospel Connection — Encounter

Today’s Gospel (Gospel of John 3:1–8) brings us to Nicodemus.

He comes:

• at night
• searching
• trying to understand

And Jesus says something unexpected:

“You must be born from above.”

 

Nicodemus struggles.

He tries to:

• reason it out
• make sense of it
• fit it into what he already knows

 

Jesus is speaking of something deeper:

 not improvement nor adjustment but new life

 

3. Holding the Antiphon and Gospel together

This is very beautiful today.

• The Gospel speaks of being born from above
• The antiphon shows Jesus standing in the midst

 

This new life is not abstract.

It happens: because He comes into our midst and breathes His life into us

 

The disciples receive peace. Nicodemus is invited into new birth.

Both are encounters that change everything

 

 4. For Us — Where is Resurrection today?

Nicodemus asks:

“How can this be?”

And perhaps we do too.

 

When things are:

• unclear
• overwhelming
• hard to grasp

We try to:

• think our way through
• solve
• understand

 

Today gently invites:  not to figure everything out  but to receive new life

 

Where might I be invited today:

• to let go of needing to understand everything
• to allow God to do something new in me
• to receive peace again, even if I’ve heard it before

 

 A quiet question

Am I trying to manage my life…
or am I allowing God to bring forth something new within me?

 

 5. Prayer

Lord Jesus,
You come into the midst of my life
and speak peace.

When I struggle to understand,
teach me to receive.

Breathe Your new life into me,
that I may be born from above
and live from Your Spirit.

Alleluia.

 

Personal Note: Sorry this post is late.  I have been unwell.