A spark of faith

 

Nicodemus, a Pharisee and a ruler of the Jews, is mentioned three times in the Gospel of John.  The first time he’s mentioned is John 3:1-2: There was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. He came to Jesus at night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one can do these signs that you are doing unless God is with him.”  The second time is when he reminds the Sanhedrin that Jesus should be heard by them before they condemn Him (John 7:43-53), and the third time is when Nicodemus assists with Jesus’ burial after His death (John 19:38-42).  John’s Gospel is very symbolic.  He especially uses the images of light and dark.  For example, when Judas went out to betray Jesus, John’s Gospel notes that “it was night.” (John 18:3).  In the passage above, John’s Gospel notes that Nicodemus came to Jesus “at night.”

Saint Augustine, in one of his reflections, says that Nicodemus came to Jesus “at night” because Nicodemus was not yet fully born again and, therefore, was not yet living fully in the light of faith.  But the fact that Nicodemus does come to Jesus and questions Him at length shows that he had a spark of faith and that he wanted to deepen that faith.  He clearly hoped that Jesus was the Messiah and professed that Jesus was “a teacher who has come from God.” (John 7)

Nicodemus has been given the title of “saint” within the Catholic Church and is especially venerated because he stood up against the other religious leaders at the time to defend Jesus and show support for Him.  This took courage.  He was ridiculed and risked being shunned by the others.  But Nicodemus knew there was something special about Jesus, and he persevered in following that inspiration.

In many ways, Nicodemus is a great example for us today in our modern world.  More and more, in most secular world cultures, being a follower of Jesus is looked down upon.  This is especially true if one chooses to live one’s faith openly and believe all that the Gospels teach.  Many Christians find that living their faith openly, especially within the workplace, school environments, and other civic circles, is challenging.  And like Nicodemus, many find it easier to come to Jesus “at night,” meaning, in a hidden way.  And though Nicodemus started this way, he eventually spoke openly in defense of Jesus in the presence of his fellow Pharisees who, according to some traditions, persecuted him and drove him into exile.

Nicodemus allowed the spark of faith within him to grow as He listened to Jesus, struggled with the pressure from his peers, but ultimately openly professed his faith in Christ.  And though this hurt his worldly position of honor within the Sanhedrin and among the earthly rulers, it earned Nicodemus an eternal honor in Heaven.  What courage he must have had to go against the pressure of his peers by allowing the faith he found in Christ to grow and fill his life with the light of Truth!  We should all strive to imitate this good man and allow ourselves to be inspired by his courage so that we, too, will receive the same eternal glory he now enjoys in Heaven.