"Receive the Holy Spirit!"

The Church is born today.

The Holy Spirit that Jesus had promised to his disciples had finally come,

descending upon the apostolic band in a way they could have hardly imagined.

And it filled them with tremendous power and zeal for the Gospel.

This fire continues to animate and embolden the church.

 ＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Acts 2:1-11

When the day of Pentecost came,

ST. MATTHIAS, APOSTLE

They proposed two, Joseph called Barsabbas, and Matthias.

" Then they gave lots to them, and the lot fell upon Matthias,

According to the Acts of the Apostles,

chosen by God through the apostles to replace Judas Iscariot

following the latter's betrayal of Jesus and his subsequent death.

 ＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊   

Acts 1:15-17, 20-26

It was during

Peter, you mind your own journey and simply follow me.”

Lord, when I keep my focus on you, I cannot go astray. You are the Way and the Truth!

Too many times we base our own sense of self-worth and spirituality by comparing ourselves to others.

St. John I, pope & martyr

 ＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊    

Acts 28:16-20, 30-31

Upon our arrival in Rome,

He warns them that they will have much trouble in the world,

but must take heart in that he has overcome the world and he is on their side.

“I have conquered the world”.

Our hope in life is based on the victory of Jesus over death,

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Acts 19:1-8

While Apollos was in Corinth,

In today’s readings, Paul is about to face martyrdom, and Peter is given the task of caring for the flock Jesus is about to leave behind.

They were about to face the same struggles, Challenges, difficulties, pains and suffering that their master had suffered.

Paul strove to stay close to the Lord, He saw God’s faithfulness and protection.

He experienced Jesus’ love and mercy.

He saw all the people who had never heard the gospel and longed to share it with them.

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊    

Acts 25:13b-21

As they were to stay there several days,

 O Christ God, You have ascended in Glory,

Granting joy to Your disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit.

If you have risen with Christ,

Set your hearts seek the things that are above, not the things that are on earth.

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊    

Acts 1:1-11

In the first part of my work,

  
The Father sends the Son to humanity precisely '

so that the Son may draw all humanity into the relationship

that exists between Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

Jesus prays, “As you Father are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us…”

Our “oneness” is to be a sign to the world of God’s love for us in Jesus Christ.

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Acts 22:30; 23:6-11

The next day,

 
I was very sure that my parents would give me what I want. I knew that they love me.

Jesus draws me right into his life, fully and generously offering me the relationship with his Father that he has.

"Whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you"

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Acts 18:23-28

After spending some time there,

Jesus is like a good friend here. He wants to keep us with him,and being sent in his name.

He raises a plea to the Father, that they may remain united,

safe from the evil one and the machinations of the world, joyful and followers of truth.

Asking the Father to protect them, consecrate them,

and bring them to the kind of union that he shares with the Father….

St. Isidore, farmer

 ＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊       

Acts 20:28-38

Keep watch over yourselves,

As long as we have faith in God we will rejoice in the end.

Pain and the varied difficulties of life need not be the final word for the follower of Jesus.

Pain often turns to joy, and in every small 'death' in life is the hope of rising into a deeper life with Jesus.

Enduring presence of the Risen Jesus with us at all times,  wherever we happen to be,

  St. Damien Joseph de Veuster of Molokai, priest/St. John of Avila, priest & doctor

 ＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊    

Acts 18:9-18

One night, in a vision,