The Solemnity of Pentecost
Call to worship
Today we celebrate the great feast of Pentecost. The gift of the Spirit, given to the Apostles, empowered them to recreate the world with faith and energy. We have been given this same Spirit.
- To the point: Jesus breathes the Holy Spirit into the disciples and by doing so he re-creates them. The life-giving breath poured forth at the dawn of creation is now the Spirit-breath, the very indwelling of God. Only because of this divine indwelling do we have the power to forgive and thus continue Jesus’ saving mission. We are the incarnation of the risen Lord in our world today. The sign of re-creation is forgiveness.
- Connecting the Gospel (John 20-19-23) to the second reading: St. Paul identifies the fruits of being re-created by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These fruits are Life-giving and oppose the works of the flesh Paul describes.
- Connecting the Gospel to our experience: An adolescent boy buys a clunker car cheap and spends months rebuilding it to be his pride and joy. A newly married couple buys a rundown house and spends months remodeling it to be their pride and joy. This festival is a celebration of the Holy Spirit re-creating us into God’s pride and joy.
Centering prayers
The Gospel
(John 20: 19-23 or John 15: 26-27, 16: 12-15)
And when he has said this, he breathed on them
and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”
Fear locked the door. It loves to do this, always.
But real love entered in anyway,
bringing (within its wounds) God’s peace.
This peace went all around; joy and peace!
He breathed upon them and sent them
everywhere, to all the Earth,
out of love, not out of fear.
God, remember us: Veni Sanctae Spiritus.
Come, Holy Spirit of life and love to us,
and send us out to all corners of creation.
The First Reading
(Acts 10: 25-26, 34-35, 44-48)
And suddenly there came from the sky a noise
like a strong driving wind.
Like wind-driven fire blazing, you flash
through all creation. You are far and near.
Not in one place and time, but everywhere.
We welcome your Spirit in us.
Set a fire in our hearts
every minute of every day!
Make us fierce in your love,
and send us to the ends of the Earth.
The Second Reading
(1 Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13; or Galatians 5:16-25 or Romans 8:22-27)
For we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit itself
intercedes with inexpressible groanings.
Spirit of Jesus, you know our needs.
We need clean air, ending of hunger,
an end to bias, Your love of each of us.
Please, take our flawed prayers to the Father.
Wrap your prayers around them.
Let our spirits cry out in joyful harmony
with you, Abba! Father!
Copyright © 2021, Anne M. Osdieck
Music for reflection