Kites and Spiritual Freedom

April 29, 2025 // Memorial of Saint Catherine of Siena, Virgin and Doctor of the Church

Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Gospel: John 3:7b-15

Reflect on the Word //

I had never seen anything like it: a multitude of colorful kites dotting a cloudless blue sky, dipping and swaying in the early spring breeze. Cherry blossom petals spread their sweet perfume as they settled like pink confetti about the National Mall. And I, relishing the first day in several months that did not require me to wear a coat, could not wipe the sunshine-induced smile from my face. Gingerly, I took the kite from my friend’s hands and began unspooling it. I watched with giddy, childlike joy as it ascended and joined the dance: fluttering and sighing with an admirable freedom while I held fast to its string. 

Reading today’s Gospel brings me back to that day at the Cherry Blossom Kite Festival, one of many annual events heralding the arrival of spring in Washington, D.C. The levity in my soul, the laughter bubbling from my lips, the incredulity I’m sure was painted on my face as I turned back to my friend—was there any other word for the experience besides fun? 

Admittedly, I often find the Lord’s words in today’s Gospel a little foreboding. “You must be born from above,” Jesus tells Nicodemus. “The wind blows where it wills . . . 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 3:7b-8). I’m not sure I like the idea of such an unpredictable Spirit, One Who could suddenly redirect me to places I don’t want—or don’t feel prepared—to go. Surely, Nicodemus, a Pharisee felt a similar concern as he talked in the night to the Man Who might be the Messiah.

But what if, dear sister, being made new in the Spirit, being “born from above,” is more like being a kite in the breeze? What if surrendering to the Lord’s will for our lives is . . . fun? Unpredictable, yes, but playful, too, and gentle: our hearts brought to new life in the first blush of spring, held aloft on the wind of the Spirit. Born from above—born of the Spirit—and set free. 

Relate to the Lord // How has your life with the Lord been fun, playful, or surprising? Relish your joy with Him.

About Sarah Zentner

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Dr. Sarah Zentner is a bibliophile and “hygge” enthusiast who delights in steaming mugs of tea, freshly baked pastries, the Little Way, and all things true, good, and beautiful. She holds a Ph.D. in English from the Catholic University of America and lives with her toy poodle, JoJo, in Washington, D.C., where she teaches literature at an all-girls Catholic secondary school.