LITURGY IN FOCUS

CALL TO WORSHIP & CENTERING PRAYERS

Today we celebrate the great feast of Pentecost. The wonderful gift given to Mary and the Apostles after Jesus’ resurrection was the Spirit of Peace. God’s peace is also our gift — renewing our lives and bringing new energy to our world.During this time of pandemic and suffering, we pray for God’s Spirit of Peace to bless us with wisdom, compassion and understanding.

  • To the point: One of the fruits of the Holy Spirit is peace. This peace is not a passive state of tranquility, but an empowering force that allays our fears, urges us forth to take up Jesus’ mission, and instills in us forgiving hearts. This peace transforms how we see ourselves, how we pursue discipleship, and how we relate to the world and one another. Certainly, this peace is life encompassing and enduring. How much more so is Jesus’ gift of the Holy Spirit!
  • Connecting the Gospel (John 20: 19-23) to the second reading: The second reading alludes to the same empowering force as does the gospel: the Spirit bestows “spiritual gifts,” calls us to “different forms of service” and manifests “different workings” such as forgiveness — all this for the benefit of the Body of Christ.
  • Connecting the Gospel to experience: We often think Jesus’ mission is given only to professional parish staff and other church ministers. All of us are called, however, to take up the mission of Jesus because of the Holy Spirit given to us at our baptism.

Centering prayers

The Gospel
John 20:19-23. John 17:1-11a (Vigil)
“And when he has said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’”
Fiery Spirit of Love,
O Father of the Poor,
Warmth in a Land of Chill,
Comforter of Us All: rich, poor:
prisoners of global virus.
Breathe your life
into our dying hearts and souls.
Now, more than ever
we ask you to bestow upon our beings
knowledge, wisdom, understanding, courage.
Oh, send us out to the whole earth.
Let your fire,
smoldering in us,
light up all on our path.
Aloud we cry,
Veni Sancte Spiritus!
The first reading
Acts 2:1-11
“And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind.”
As fire blazes in the wind,
you burst through all creation.
Not just in the upper room,
in one place and time,
but everywhere.
O Spirit,
set hearts on fire
every minute of every day.
Let us go with you
to the ends of the Earth.
The second reading
Romans 8:22-27 (Vigil)
“We do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit itself intercedes with inexpressible groanings.”
Spirit of Jesus, You know our prayers.
Take our sighs up to the Father.
Wrap your life around them.
Let our spirits cry out
in joyful harmony
with you:
Abba, Father!

Copyright © 2020, Anne M. Osdieck

“Send Us Your Spirit”

(Dan Schutte)

 

Tomaso Albinoni (1671-1751) Twelve Concertos (Opus 9)