“How can this be?” And Jesus answered, “You are a teacher in Israel, and you don’t know these things! Truly, I say to you, we speak of
what we know and we witness to the things we have seen, but you don’t accept our testimony. If you don’t believe when I speak of earthly things, what then,
when I speak to you of heavenly things? No one has ever gone up to heaven except the one who came from heaven, the Son of Man. As Moses lifted up
the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

Reflection:

Being one in heart and mind, with everyone sharing
everything with everyone else is every Christian community’s
dream. Even Carl Marx would be envious! However, even as Luke
ends the fourth chapter with this dream description, the reality
strikes hard immediately— as early as the fifth chapter,
wherein Ananias and Sapphira play spoilsport. And, in the sixth,
we are told of neglect of widows. Not long after, we encounter
tensions regarding Peter’s visit to Cornelius, objections
to the uncircumcised, etc. The truth is, it is hard to maintain
“oneness in heart and mind” unless we are totally open to
the “exceptional grace” amidst us and, as Jesus tells Nicodemus,
we are continuously born from above. It may still not ensure
unity in thought; but it will definitely guarantee respect for
differences, unity in diversity, and love above all.

© Copyright Bible Diary 2022