Mass during the Day
Readings for Pentecost Sunday[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 Acts 2:1-11
“When the Time for Pentecost was fulfilled” – the word in its Greek form means “fifty” so we understand this phrase to mean – fifty days after Christ’s resurrection (Easter). An interesting coincidence is the Jewish Festival of Weeks (Harvest Festival “Shavuoth”) was also called Pentecost. Whether it was taken first by the Christians and later adopted by the Hellenistic Jews we do not know.
Those present (not just the disciples) heard a loud noise like the rushing of the wind. This signified a new action by God. Indeed we see the symbol of the Holy Spirit, a flame, descend upon the Apostles launching them into prayers of ecstasy that were heard by all present in their own language. This event can be interpreted as a representation of the universal mission of the Church to all peoples of all nations.
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34
R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
In Psalm 104 we find a refrain that is the most popular hymn sung a Pentecost. The final strophe recognizes the third person of God and asks for its blessing.
Reading II 1 Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13
In this letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul acknowledges the role of the Holy Spirit and the different gifts supplied to the members of the Body of Christ. At the same time he also proclaims the oneness of the triune God. The unity theme is carried finally to the people of God who are one in the spirit and therefore one with God.
Gospel John 20:19-23
St. John gives us the picture of the disciples (now Apostles) in hiding immediately following the Lord’s crucifixion. Twice Jesus comes to them once with Thomas absent and then again when he is present.
There are a number of very important elements of this version of the story. First, the Lord’s greeting, “Peace be with you.” While this may have been a simple Shalom, it is more likely intended to emphasize the rejoicing sense of the meeting. Immediately the Lord sends them on their mission, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you." As part of this action we are told the Lord gives the gift of the Holy Spirit to strengthen them and gives them authority to act in his name.”
Homily:
At this time of the year, weekends especially are often very full of things to do. We are hard pressed to accomplish everything that needs to get done. It is no different today as the Church, at least in the US celebrates the great solemnity of Pentecost and on the same weekend also recognizes that noble institution of motherhood as we celebrate Mother’s Day. Intuitively in the Church this is also a special time to remember Mary the Mother of Jesus and of the Church. Happily there is a very nice linkage between the gifts of the Holy Spirit we so joyously celebrate.
Let’s consider that connection for a moment. The Lord has promised on a number of occasions that he was going to leave the disciples a new advocate – the Paraclete, the Spirit of truth to guide them. In the Gospel reading we heard, he imparts that gift to them, strengthened with that Spirit they are sent into the world to spread a startling new understanding of God who is love, not just justice.
The Holy Spirit transforms these frightened people into a flame that would spread to the far corners of the world. That mission, of course is one that has been handed down through two thousand years of faithful followers who have gone before us and now it is handed on to us. That same Holy Spirit, the Advocate that Christ promised; that breath of new life that came to the disciples was passed on to us in Baptism and its gifts were sealed for us in Confirmation.
But something else happened during Baptism for most of us. There was someone else there watching on with pride, probably even holding us. When the life-giving water of Baptism was still dampening our hair, our mothers held us, knowing that they had promised to see that the divine spark was to be kept burning. If we were lucky, they were there (probably with their fingers crossed) when the gifts of the spirit about which St. Paul speaks, were confirmed. Those fingers were crossed, not just because the Bishop was asking questions of the young confirmandae, but hoping in their hearts that they had, through word and example, prepared us to stand with all the faithful in the great mission the Lord sends us upon; “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”
And lest we forget, there is another who bears the title Advocate. Mother Mary who is always there to guide us, she is also called “Spouse of the Holy Spirit” because of her shared title and role.
In a recent meeting the question came up about the relationship between Mother Mary and the Holy Spirit and the best reply I could think of was an analogy from my own past. When I was growing up (I know this will surprise some of you) there were times when I did not always follow the rules my parents laid down for me.
When these rules were bent too far and something went (usually disastrously) wrong, it was my mother who first confronted me. “Jim (or if it was very bad James John), you know better than that. Haven’t we taught you better?” Then would come those dreaded words “What do you think your father is going to say?” You see the example my parents had set and the rules they set for me are something like the Holy Spirit given to guide us through life and keep us safe.
Again depending upon what I had done, how visible the damage, and how easily repaired it was, I would watch that clock knowing that my father would soon be arriving home from work. To my surprise it was never quite as bad as I imaged it would be and I could not figure that out until one day I was hiding near the door when he arrived home. My mother came up to greet him and to my utter amazement she said in quiet tones “Jim had a problem today but I’ve talked to him about it so please to go too hard on him.” My mother was my Advocate, just as Mother Mary intercedes for us in times of need.
Today we rejoice once more as our Easter celebration comes to an end. We pledge once more to look to the Holy Spirit, our Advocate and Guide as we too are sent into the world to bring Christ’s love to those we meet. We give thanks to God for His gracious gift and by happy coincidence we thank him also for Mother Mary and those who have loved us with a mother’s love as we have grown in faith and understanding.
We go forward from this place now strengthened by that Holy Spirit and soon given the sacramental grace of the Body and Blood of the Virgin Mary’s child, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Amen
[1] After Links to Readings Expire
[2] The Picture Used today is “The Descent of the Holy Ghost” (detail), by Tiziano Vecellio c. 1545
Readings for Pentecost Sunday[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 Acts 2:1-11
“When the Time for Pentecost was fulfilled” – the word in its Greek form means “fifty” so we understand this phrase to mean – fifty days after Christ’s resurrection (Easter). An interesting coincidence is the Jewish Festival of Weeks (Harvest Festival “Shavuoth”) was also called Pentecost. Whether it was taken first by the Christians and later adopted by the Hellenistic Jews we do not know.
Those present (not just the disciples) heard a loud noise like the rushing of the wind. This signified a new action by God. Indeed we see the symbol of the Holy Spirit, a flame, descend upon the Apostles launching them into prayers of ecstasy that were heard by all present in their own language. This event can be interpreted as a representation of the universal mission of the Church to all peoples of all nations.
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34
R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
In Psalm 104 we find a refrain that is the most popular hymn sung a Pentecost. The final strophe recognizes the third person of God and asks for its blessing.
Reading II 1 Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13
In this letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul acknowledges the role of the Holy Spirit and the different gifts supplied to the members of the Body of Christ. At the same time he also proclaims the oneness of the triune God. The unity theme is carried finally to the people of God who are one in the spirit and therefore one with God.
Gospel John 20:19-23
St. John gives us the picture of the disciples (now Apostles) in hiding immediately following the Lord’s crucifixion. Twice Jesus comes to them once with Thomas absent and then again when he is present.
There are a number of very important elements of this version of the story. First, the Lord’s greeting, “Peace be with you.” While this may have been a simple Shalom, it is more likely intended to emphasize the rejoicing sense of the meeting. Immediately the Lord sends them on their mission, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you." As part of this action we are told the Lord gives the gift of the Holy Spirit to strengthen them and gives them authority to act in his name.”
Homily:
At this time of the year, weekends especially are often very full of things to do. We are hard pressed to accomplish everything that needs to get done. It is no different today as the Church, at least in the US celebrates the great solemnity of Pentecost and on the same weekend also recognizes that noble institution of motherhood as we celebrate Mother’s Day. Intuitively in the Church this is also a special time to remember Mary the Mother of Jesus and of the Church. Happily there is a very nice linkage between the gifts of the Holy Spirit we so joyously celebrate.
Let’s consider that connection for a moment. The Lord has promised on a number of occasions that he was going to leave the disciples a new advocate – the Paraclete, the Spirit of truth to guide them. In the Gospel reading we heard, he imparts that gift to them, strengthened with that Spirit they are sent into the world to spread a startling new understanding of God who is love, not just justice.
The Holy Spirit transforms these frightened people into a flame that would spread to the far corners of the world. That mission, of course is one that has been handed down through two thousand years of faithful followers who have gone before us and now it is handed on to us. That same Holy Spirit, the Advocate that Christ promised; that breath of new life that came to the disciples was passed on to us in Baptism and its gifts were sealed for us in Confirmation.
But something else happened during Baptism for most of us. There was someone else there watching on with pride, probably even holding us. When the life-giving water of Baptism was still dampening our hair, our mothers held us, knowing that they had promised to see that the divine spark was to be kept burning. If we were lucky, they were there (probably with their fingers crossed) when the gifts of the spirit about which St. Paul speaks, were confirmed. Those fingers were crossed, not just because the Bishop was asking questions of the young confirmandae, but hoping in their hearts that they had, through word and example, prepared us to stand with all the faithful in the great mission the Lord sends us upon; “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”
And lest we forget, there is another who bears the title Advocate. Mother Mary who is always there to guide us, she is also called “Spouse of the Holy Spirit” because of her shared title and role.
In a recent meeting the question came up about the relationship between Mother Mary and the Holy Spirit and the best reply I could think of was an analogy from my own past. When I was growing up (I know this will surprise some of you) there were times when I did not always follow the rules my parents laid down for me.
When these rules were bent too far and something went (usually disastrously) wrong, it was my mother who first confronted me. “Jim (or if it was very bad James John), you know better than that. Haven’t we taught you better?” Then would come those dreaded words “What do you think your father is going to say?” You see the example my parents had set and the rules they set for me are something like the Holy Spirit given to guide us through life and keep us safe.
Again depending upon what I had done, how visible the damage, and how easily repaired it was, I would watch that clock knowing that my father would soon be arriving home from work. To my surprise it was never quite as bad as I imaged it would be and I could not figure that out until one day I was hiding near the door when he arrived home. My mother came up to greet him and to my utter amazement she said in quiet tones “Jim had a problem today but I’ve talked to him about it so please to go too hard on him.” My mother was my Advocate, just as Mother Mary intercedes for us in times of need.
Today we rejoice once more as our Easter celebration comes to an end. We pledge once more to look to the Holy Spirit, our Advocate and Guide as we too are sent into the world to bring Christ’s love to those we meet. We give thanks to God for His gracious gift and by happy coincidence we thank him also for Mother Mary and those who have loved us with a mother’s love as we have grown in faith and understanding.
We go forward from this place now strengthened by that Holy Spirit and soon given the sacramental grace of the Body and Blood of the Virgin Mary’s child, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Amen
[1] After Links to Readings Expire
[2] The Picture Used today is “The Descent of the Holy Ghost” (detail), by Tiziano Vecellio c. 1545
No comments:
Post a Comment