Meaning of words

I wish I could show you, when you are lonely or in darkness,

the astonishing Light of your own Being.

–Hafiz, 14th century

It has been said that all of life, that living is just learning the meaning of words – not the long ten syllable words that we have to look up in a dictionary – but the really great words to master are the short ones – love/hope – pain/grief – home/ family – life/death.

In a way, that is what Jesus was helping Nicodemus learn; he was helping him learn the meaning of words.  Not the long ones but the short ones – the ones with eternal meaning – the ones about new birth.  A kind of birth that not only speaks of internal changes, but of enlightened formation; that now, because of Christ, there is a new source of Light, Life and Being.

John 3:1-21