Commentary

Humility opens us to the Light

The soul ...must dispose itself for the inflowing of loving Wisdom. If the gift of self calls to that Wisdom, humility it is that attracts her irresistibly. The conduct of our Lord in the Gospel gives evidence of this in an illuminating way. ... .Yet, while Jesus left some of His own followers in darkness concerning the most important truths about Himself, we find Him in the first year of His public life, revealing His secrets to certain souls who seem to force them from Him. We refer here to Nicodemus ... a doctor of the law; he belongs to the religious and social aristocracy of Jerusalem. Like many of his colleagues, he had listened favorably to Jesus at the time of His first journey to Jerusalem. Now, however, he must be specially troubled and moved, for he decides—he, a doctor of the law—to find Jesus and put questions to Him, although He was an unlettered man. He decides to go at night. The overture is timid, but not without merit, if one considers the position and character of Nicodemus. A dialogue ensues....Jesus seems thus to anticipate the questions of Nicodemus....The language is elevated, worthy of such a speaker. Nicodemus understands it less and less: "How can these things be?" Jesus questions him: "Thou art a teacher in Israel and dost not know these things?" The thrust is direct, almost hard, dealt by an unlettered man at a doctor of the law. Nicodemus accepts it without protest. He listens now and understands. The humiliation has opened his mind, and through that salutary wound, Jesus pours floods of light.