That Nicodemus, see him searching
through the darker night to find the
Good Teacher. He didn’t get very
far, that Nicodemus, indeed he didn’t
even ask a question when the Rabbi
gave an answer. Very truly, I tell you,
you must be born again.
But how can this be? How can one
enter once again into muscled womb,
push through flesh and float by reeds
to split the amniotic sea and emerge—
gasp, cry—into a greater Canaan?
Flesh gives birth to flesh, but spirit
gives birth to spirit, Jesus says. The Son
of man must be lifted up, that everyone
who believes may have eternal life.
So yes, be born again.
Enter into that humble posture, knees
bent to chest in supplication. Push
through that barren, self-justifying pride.
Feel the contracted pressure of muscled
confession, hard as it is, and once that
flood of baptismal fluid makes slick your
fragile flesh, you will emerge—
gasp! Cry with joy! Inhale, inhale,
hagio pneuma, breath of life eternal,
and you will be born again.
Ana Yee ’21 is a junior in Kirkland House studying the History of Science.