Day 74: The Christmas Mystery (522-526)


Prayer by Fr. Mike: “Father in Heaven, we give you praise and we give you glory. We give you thanksgiving, just like the angels sang your praises singing, ‘Holy Holy Holy!’ Singing, ‘Glory to God in the highest!’ The angels continue to sing, ‘Hosannah!’ The angels continue to cry out your name in prayer, in praise, in thanksgiving, giving you glory. We too join our voices to the voices of the angels singing, ‘Glory to God in the highest and on Earth peace to people of good will.’ We cry out like the angels in Heaven singing, ‘Holy Holy Holy!’ We cry out. We just praise you, Father. Help us to become like children in relation to you. Help us. Help us to accept you and to let you love us. That’s the love that can change our lives. It’s the only love that can change the world. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen”


"Born From Above"

-Notes compiled by Andrew Adamany


The Catechism of the Catholic Church

526 “To become a child in relation to God is the condition for entering the kingdom. For this, we must humble ourselves and become little. Even more: to become "children of God" we must be "born from above" or "born of God".”


"Born from Above" - other translations - "Born anew," "Born Again"


In Scripture, only John 3 and 1 Peter 1 talk about being born anew:

How does one become born anew?  The Church says we are born anew in Baptism, and according to Scripture, Jesus answers Nicodemus with two things that Scripture also highlights in Baptism:

What Jesus, Paul and Peter all say, or write in Scripture, about what happens in Baptism, is the same as what Jesus and Peter say are the effects that result in being “Born Anew.”

In the Old Testament, whenever there is a type of New birth or Salvation, water and the Spirit are involved.

Click to Read Excerpts from the Early Church Fathers tying Born From Above to Baptism


According to Scripture, Tradition, and the Magisterium, the effects of Baptism result in being "Born from Above"


Sources

The Holy Bible- RSVCE

Interlinear Greek Bible- Strong’s Concordance

Catholic.com- What The Early Church Believed: Born Again and Baptism

Youtube Video:  How to Be Christian: “What Does Born Again Mean”

Youtube Video: Steve Ray: “Born Again”