Required genuflection

Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. (John 3: 7b-15)

Jesus lovingly seeks to purify Nicodemus's Jewish beliefs to prepare him to come to a new faith in Him by understanding the scandal of His crucifixion. Jesus's disciple must be ready to follow Him even when, at first, they are unable to understand His plans. This is why Jesus recalls Moses's raising the serpent, a Biblical passage well known to the Jews. The was the bronze serpent that Moses raised above all mankind to save them, just as Jesus was raised on the cross to save us all. Are we ready to kneel before our Saviour? Let us remember that genuflecting when facing the Blessed Sacrament upon entering a church or when passing by the tabernacle is obligatory.