The Holy Spirit appeared to them tongues as of fire, and rested on each one of them. They were filled with the Spirit, and they began to speak in different tongues which will enabled them to proclaim Good News of the Lord to many nations.
God’s love has been poured out
into our hearts through
the Holy Spirit,
who has been given to us.
~ Romans 5:5 ~
Jesus Christ is the head of the Church,
and we the faithful are His Body, the Church.
After 10 days from our Lord' Jesus ascension into heaven, we celebrate Pentecost Sunday (50 days after Easter Sunday), the descent of the Holy Spirit, the Advocate from our Lord. Pentecost is usually represented with the color red, which symbolizes the fire of the Holy Spirit. Pentecost also marks the birth of the Christian Church and the the culmination of the revelation of the Holy Trinity.
The apostles, disciples, and Blessed Virgin Mary gathered together in the Upper Room (known as the Cenacle), the place where Jesus had appeared to them and which we may say was the first Christian church. About a hundred and twenty were assembled there. They apostles have chosen Matthias as an apostle to take the place Judas Iscariot which was vacant. They remained at the upper room, prayed constantly as told by Jesus before he ascended into heaven and waited for the descent of the Holy Spirit the Paraclete. Pentecost commemorates not only the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles and disciples, but also the completion of the work of redemption, the fullness of grace for the Church and its children, and the gift of faith for all nations.
Repent and be baptized, every one of you,
in the name of Jesus Christ
for the forgiveness of your sins.
And you will receive
the gift of the Holy Spirit.
~ Acts 2:38 ~
Almighty ever-living God, who willed the Paschal Mystery to be encompassed as a sign in fifty days, grant that from out of the scattered nations the confusion of many tongues may be gathered by heavenly grace into one great confession of your name. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. AMEN.
Sunday, 8 June, 2014
Pentecost Sunday
Reading 1
Acts 2:1-11
When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled,
they were all in one place together.
And suddenly there came from the sky
a noise like a strong driving wind,
and it filled the entire house in which they were.
Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire,
which parted and came to rest on each one of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit
and began to speak in different tongues,
as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.
Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem.
At this sound, they gathered in a large crowd,
but they were confused
because each one heard them speaking in his own language.
They were astounded, and in amazement they asked,
“Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans?
Then how does each of us hear them in his native language?
We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites,
inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia,
Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia,
Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene,
as well as travelers from Rome,
both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs,
yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues
of the mighty acts of God.”
Psalm
Psalm 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34
R/ Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
or:
R/ Alleluia.
Bless the LORD, O my soul!
O LORD, my God, you are great indeed!
How manifold are your works, O Lord!
the earth is full of your creatures;
R/ Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
or:
R/ Alleluia.
May the glory of the LORD endure forever;
may the LORD be glad in his works!
Pleasing to him be my theme;
I will be glad in the LORD.
R/ Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
or:
R/ Alleluia.
If you take away their breath, they perish
and return to their dust.
When you send forth your spirit, they are created,
and you renew the face of the earth.
R/ Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
or:
R/ Alleluia.
Reading 2
1 Corinthians 12:3B-7, 12-13
Brothers and sisters:
No one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.
There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit;
there are different forms of service but the same Lord;
there are different workings but the same God
who produces all of them in everyone.
To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit
is given for some benefit.
As a body is one though it has many parts,
and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body,
so also Christ.
For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body,
whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons,
and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.
Sequence – Veni, Sancte Spiritus (Come, Holy Spirit, come!)
And from your celestial home
Shed a ray of light divine!
Come, Father of the poor!
Come, source of all our store!
Come, within our bosoms shine.
You, of comforters the best;
You, the soul’s most welcome guest;
Sweet refreshment here below;
In our labor, rest most sweet;
Grateful coolness in the heat;
Solace in the midst of woe.
O most blessed Light divine,
Shine within these hearts of yours,
And our inmost being fill!
Where you are not, we have naught,
Nothing good in deed or thought,
Nothing free from taint of ill.
Heal our wounds, our strength renew;
On our dryness pour your dew;
Wash the stains of guilt away:
Bend the stubborn heart and will;
Melt the frozen, warm the chill;
Guide the steps that go astray.
On the faithful, who adore
And confess you, evermore
In your sevenfold gift descend;
Give them virtue’s sure reward;
Give them your salvation, Lord;
Give them joys that never end. Amen.
Alleluia.
Gospel
John 20:19-23
On the evening of that first day of the week,
when the doors were locked, where the disciples were,
for fear of the Jews,
Jesus came and stood in their midst
and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.
The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you.
As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”
And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,
“Receive the Holy Spirit.
Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them,
and whose sins you retain are retained.”
