FEAST OF ST MARTIN I, POPE AND MARTYR.

FEAST OF ST MARTIN I, POPE AND MARTYR.

YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN.

THE GOSPEL:

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."

Jesus answered and said to him,

"Amen, amen, I say to you,

unless one is born from above, he cannot see the Kingdom of God."

Nicodemus said to him,

"How can a man once grown old be born again?

Surely he cannot reenter his mother's womb and be born again, can he?"

Jesus answered,

"Amen, amen, I say to you,

unless one is born of water and Spirit he cannot enter the Kingdom of God.

What is born of flesh is flesh

and what is born of spirit is spirit.

Do not be amazed that I told you,

'You must be born from above.'

The wind blows where it wills,

and you can hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes;

so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." (John 3: 1 - 8).

Monday 13th April 2026, in the 2nd Week in the  Easter Season is the feast of St Martin I, Pope and Martyr.

Martin suffered martyrdom because of his defense of the truth that Jesus Christ is 100% God and 100% Man. Emperor Constans II got him arrested and exiled him to Crimea where he suffered much abuse and humiliation.

Martin wrote from prison: “For forty-seven days, I have not been given water to wash in. I am frozen through and wasting away…. But God sees all things and I trust in him.”

This Scripture below could have been spoken by Pope St Martin I:

"Amen, amen, I say to you, we speak of what we know and we testify to what we have seen, but you people do not accept our testimony." (John 3: 11).

For the past 2000 years, saints and martyrs following the example of Jesus have been persecuted for speaking the truth they know.

The adversaries have no answers to refute them.

But like Pilate, Herod, Henry VIII, Hitler and Stalin they had brute force and they responded accordingly.

The brutal persecution did not stop the Gospel from spreading.

"You, O Christ, are the faithful witness [Martyr], the First-born from the dead, you have loved us and have washed away our sins with your blood. (Cf Revelation 1: 5).

Jesus was born, lived and died to establish the Kingdom of God.

Jesus answered Nicodemus in the AMP Bible translation, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless a person is born again [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified], he cannot [ever] see and experience the kingdom of God.”

The carnal man is incapable of experiencing spiritual things. He is acquainted only with material carnal things. (Cf Romans 8: 6; 1 Corinthians 2: 14). 

This is what Jesus teaches Nicodemus. This is also a truth anyone can bear witness to by reflecting on his acquaintances.

Everything is created twice.

The first creation is from the earth and unsurprisingly earthy.

The second creation is from above and is heavenly.

It is the Holy Spirit who gives us the second birth.

And this happens when we are baptized. We become born anew and in fact new creation.

Since we died with Christ when we were immersed into the water of Baptism and raised with Christ, let us seek what is above where Jesus is seated at the right hand of God. (Cf Colossians 3: 1).

THE CHURCH HONORS THE EUCHARIST IN APRIL.

"CCC 282. How is Christ present in the

Eucharist?

Jesus Christ is present in the Eucharist in

a unique and incomparable way.

He is

present in a true, real and substantial way,

with his Body and his Blood,

with his Soul

and his Divinity.

In the Eucharist,

therefore, there is present in a

sacramental way, that is, under the

Eucharistic species of bread and wine,

Christ whole and entire, God and Man."

My flesh is real food and My blood is real drink says the Lord.

For Teachings, Prayers and Prayer intentions click the link:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2024/03/the-holy-eucharist_31.html?m=1