Saint Augustine, commenting on this passage, says that Nicodemus came to Jesus “at night” because Nicodemus was not yet fully born again, not yet living fully in the light of faith. The fact that Nicodemus does come to Jesus and questions Him at length shows that he had a spark of faith and he wanted to deepen that faith. He clearly hoped that Jesus was the Messiah and professed that Jesus was “a teacher who has come from God.”
From early times, prior to the formalization of canonization practices, Nicodemus has been given the title of “saint” within the Catholic Church as well as in the Orthodox Church. He is especially venerated because he stood up against the other religious leaders at the time to defend Jesus and show support for Him. This took courage. He was ridiculed and risked being shunned by the others. But Nicodemus knew there was something special about Jesus, and he persevered in following that inspiration.
Nicodemus is a great example today in our modern world. In most secular cultures, being a follower of Jesus is looked down upon. This is especially true if you choose to live your faith openly and believe all that the Gospel teaches. Many Christians find that living their faith openly, especially within the workplace, school environments, and other civic circles, is challenging. Like Nicodemus, many find it easier to come to Jesus “at night,” meaning, in a hidden way. Though Nicodemus started this way, he eventually spoke openly in defense of Jesus in the presence of his fellow Pharisees who, according to some traditions, persecuted him and drove him into exile.
Let us reflect on the courage Nicodemus had to go against the pressure of his peers by allowing the faith he found in Christ to grow and fill his life with Truth. Let us imitate this good man and allow ourselves to be inspired by his courage so that we, too, will receive the same eternal glory he now enjoys in Heaven. Help us, O God, to follow the example of Nicodemus so that all confusion and darkness will be dispelled by the light of Your truth.