Sunday June 8, 2014 – Pentecost Sunday
(NAB Readings) Mass during the Day Lectionary: 63
[powerpress]
“Come, Holy Spirit, come!
And from your celestial home
Shed a ray of light divine!”
– From the Sequence of Pentecost
Happy Pentecost! It gets it’s name from the 50 days of Easter. This is a great feast, the birthday of the Church, and it ranks up there with Christmas, but can it often be overlooked. It’s also important to note that there is a vigil mass that has different readings and theme than the mass that is celebrated the actual day of Pentecost. We will focus only on the reading of the day of Pentecost.
Reading 1
ACTS 2:1-11
This week’s first reading is the exact story from the book of Acts that tells us the details of how Pentecost happened to Mary and the Apostles in the upper room. Fun fact is that the Holy Spirit does not descend as dove the way He is often recognized, but instead comes down in the form of tongues of fire.
One of the most miraculous things that happens at this event is the unity of the nations. At its very birth, the Catholic Church proclaims the Gospel to everyone without boundaries. This extraordinary gift of tongues enables them to speak to all people and it is a reunification of Gods people. The mission of the Church is to bring the good news of Christ and unite us as one in His body. We continue to pray for a unification of the Church.
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34
R/ (cf. 30) Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
Reading 2
1 Corinthians 12:3B-7, 12-13
The second reading is a powerful testament of the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Jesus Christ is Lord! It is the very Spirit of God that enables us to submit to His Lordship and live our faith with the Gifts He has given us. Each of us receives all 7 Gifts at the moment of our baptism and strengthen at our confirmation, but then we also receive unique gifts and charisms that He intends for us to use as a community. This topic of unity is reinforced again and points us to the need of community and working together for the greater mission.
Sequence – Veni, Sancte Spiritus
This celebration has a Sequence that reminds us of the power of the movement of the Spirit in the Church and in us.
Gospel
John 20:19-23
This week’s Gospel returns to the original theme of the last 50 days, the Resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ. The first thing that Jesus does when He appears to His disciples is offer them His peace. He gives them His spirit and empowers them to go forth in their mission, not of condemnation, but of offering this broken world healing and salvation through Him. We are a people in need of His Divine Mercy, and His most Sacred Heart is generous enough to offer us all this peace even when we are so undeserving. That is the power of the Gospel and the Hope of our Church.
May this Sunday be blessed and be a renewal of the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Open up the doors and Let Him come rushing at through.
Celebrate this day.
Reflection done by Cristobal Almanza – @SoulPainter
Theme song – Ignite – Soundwave soundwave.cc
Background Music This Week
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