" Receive the Holy Spirit! "      

 Gifts of the Holy Spirit.

 Wisdom  Understanding Knowledge 

 Counsel Fortitude  Fear of the Lord  piety

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Acts 2:1-11

When the day

Of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. And suddenly, out of the sky,

came a sound like a strong rushing wind; and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.

There appeared tongues, as if of fire, which parted and came to rest upon each one of them.

All were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak other languages, as the Spirit enabled them to speak.

 

Staying in Jerusalem were religious Jews from every nation under heaven.

When they heard this sound, a crowd gathered, all excited, because each heard them speaking in his own language.

Full of amazement and wonder, they asked, "Are not all these who are speaking Galileans?

How is it that we hear them in our own native language? Here are Parthians, Medes and Elamites;

 

and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia; Pontus and Asia; Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt;

and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene; and visitors from Rome; both Jews and foreigners who accept Jewish beliefs,

Cretians and Arabians; and all of us hear them proclaiming in our own language what God, the Savior, does."

 

Ps 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34 Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.

 

＊＊＊ 2nd Reading ＊＊＊

1 Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13

(or Romans 8:8-17)

I tell you that nobody inspired by the Spirit of God may say, "A curse on Jesus," as no one can say, "Jesus is the Lord, except by the Holy Spirit.

There is diversity of gifts, but the Spirit is the same. There is diversity of ministries, but the Lord is the same There is diversity of works, but the same God works in all.

The Spirit reveals his presence in each one with a gift that is also a service.

As the body is one, having many members, and all the members, while being many, form one body,

so it is with Christ. All of us, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free, have been baptized in one Spirit,

to form one body, and all of us have been given, to drink from the one Spirit.

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊     

John 20:19-23 (or John 14:15-16, 23b-26)

In the evening of that day, the first day after the Sabbath, the doors were locked where the disciples were,

because of their fear of the Jews. But Jesus came and stood among them, and said to them,

"Peace be with you!" Then he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples, seeing the Lord, were full of joy.

Again Jesus said to them, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, so I send you.

After saying this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit!

Those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven; those whose sins you retain, they are retained."

 

Lectio Divina

 

Gospel Reflection ：

"He breathes on them."

 

Read: Acts describes the dramatic gift of the Holy Spirit, whose power is experienced as wind and fire.

Saint Paul says our different spiritual gifts are to be used in collaboration for God's service.

The Risen Christ greets the Apostles and he breathes on them, giving them the Holy Spirit to be instruments of peace and forgiveness.

 

Reflect: The Holy Spirit is as essential as the air we breathe. But like the air, we often take the Spirit for granted.

Pentecost reminds us how important the Holy Spirit is for our lives and for our Christian vocations.

We breathe in different ways: not only breathing imperceptibly, but also taking deep breaths when necessary,

such as when doing something challenging, like swimming underwater, or something joyous, like singing.

 

So also, the Spirit is given to us in special ways at special moments, if we ask. The Spirit is unity,

charity and truth, and calls us to live as the Church in unity, charity and truth,

and as individuals who care for others, sharing the love of God.

 

Pray: Notice your breathing and thank God for the gift of life. Meditate on the breath of God, thank the Holy Spirit for all his gifts and guidance.

 

Act: This is a glorious feast – celebrate it with family and friends!