Greeting (see Sequence)
May the Spirit of the Lord make flexible what is rigid, kindle what is frigid, straighten what is wayward. With his Spirit may the Lord be always with you. R/ And also with you.
1.
The Spirit of Renewal
There are
days when life looks drab to us, too much like a repetitious, boring routine.
Our faith too may impress us as unexciting, monotonous and tiring and
cheerless. Today’s feast of Pentecost reminds us: life, especially the life of
faith, is marvelous, thanks to the Spirit of Jesus who wants to renew the
Church and the whole world as he did on the first Pentecost. Let him bring us
to life again with joy and peace and the fire of his love. Let him breathe on
us the fresh air of the gospel and the life of Jesus. We ask Jesus here in this
Eucharist to pour out on us his invigorating Spirit.
2.
The Spirit of Unity
On this
beautiful day of Pentecost God lets his Spirit bring together again all that
has been divided: our own selves, so often broken and ripped apart, our Church
and its communities, nations. The Spirit unites in their diversity masters and
servants, rich and poor, free people and those enslaved in any way, citizens
and strangers, people of every race and tongue and color. All of us are called
to hear in our own language the marvels God is doing among us. Wonder at all
this, rejoice and celebrate the feast of the Spirit.
3.
The Spirit of Courage
Prudence is
a good virtue to have, but a quality that is much rarer is courage: the courage
to make a long overdue change, the courage to speak up for the truth when
silence can keep you out of trouble, the courage to act according to your
conscience, the courage to commit yourself to people when it is much safer not
to be involved. Often prudence is cited as a good reason for not being
courageous, and that’s bad. Courage and prudence should go hand in hand. The
Holy Spirit can bring about the harmony between these two. He gave the apostles
and the young Church the courage to risk their lives for the gospel. Today we
ask Jesus the Lord to pour out on us his Sprit of courage.
Penitential
Act
Too often
we have practiced our faith without enthusiasm, as a set of duties to comply
with. Let us ask the Lord to forgive us. (pause)
Lord Jesus,
without your Spirit we cannot understand the Good News of your life and
message. Give us your Spirit of understanding: Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord,
have mercy.
Jesus
Christ, without your Spirit we cannot know the Father and cannot pray well to
him. Give us your Spirit of wisdom: Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have
mercy.
Lord Jesus,
without your Spirit we cannot love one another, we cannot forgive or encourage
each other. Give us your Spirit of love: Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord,
have mercy.
Lord, heal
us with your forgiveness and let your Spirit of courage and joy lead us on the
road to everlasting life. R/ Amen.
Opening
Prayer
Let us pray
that God may breathe his Spirit on us and on the world (pause)
God,
Creator of all that is, breathe your life-giving Spirit on us and on our world to
refresh us and make us new and free. Let him inflame us and our communities with
the fire of your love and freedom and open for us his treasury of joy and
youth, of wisdom and peace and courage. When we look back to the past, may he
surprise us with a view of your future. May he lead us forward to follow in the
footsteps of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.
First
Reading: Acts 2:1-11: The Spirit Comes as a Mighty Storm
Loud noise,
a mighty storm, fire, languages – these symbols, used to describe the first
Christian Pentecost, tell us forcefully that here something totally new is
happening. God’s Spirit of power is breaking through to bring divided humanity
together in a community where there is room for all.
Second
Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:3b-7,12-13Let the Holy Spirit Guide Us
If we are
guided by the Spirit, we die with Jesus to sin, we live for love and joy and
all that is good.
Gospel:
John 15:26-27; 16:12-15: The Spirit Leads to the Complete Truth
The Holy
Spirit will make Christians throughout the ages discover the meaning of the
words spoken by God’s living Word, Jesus.
Intercessions
Let us pray
that today the Spirit may come for a new Pentecost in the Church and in the
world. Let us say: R/ Pour out your Spirit, Lord.
– On the
world and on the Church of our day in search of hope and a future to live for: R/
Pour out your Spirit, Lord.
– On the
countries suffering hunger and war and in search of happiness and joy: R/
Pour out your Spirit, Lord.
– On us
all, gathered here in the name of the Lord as the Body of Christ for the life
of the world: R/ Pour out your Spirit, Lord.
– On all
people who seek a grain of truth in the mist and chaos: R/ Pour out
your Spirit, Lord.
– On all of
us here listening to the Word, that it may let Christ’s light shine in the
night of the world's darkness.
R/
Pour out your Spirit, Lord.
– On the
leaders of the Church and the world in charge of guiding people: R/
Pour out your Spirit, Lord.
– On us
humble people with little to boast of, to make us more the body of Christ to
bring the world together: R/ Pour out your Spirit, Lord.
–
On people who suffer, that they may be united with Christ and hope in him till
the end of the world: R/ Pour out your Spirit, Lord.
– On all of
us, gathered in prayer to bring about a new creation: R/ Pour out your
Spirit, Lord.
Lord our
God, let your Spirit unite us as the body of your Son and put on our lips and
in our hearts words of praise and thanks to you, our God for ever and
ever. R/ Amen.
Prayer
over the Gifts
Loving
Father, the Holy Spirit has brought us together around the table of your Son. Let
him heal us from all that divides us and set us free from hatred and from all
injustice, that, one in heart and mind, we may give all honor and praise as the
one body of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.
Introduction
to the Eucharistic Prayer
Let the
Spirit of joy and love and gratitude prompt us to give wholehearted thanks to
God, our creator and Father, for all his goodness and patience.
Introduction
to the Lord’s Prayer
We cannot
say “Jesus is Lord” except through the Spirit. We cannot say “Father” to God, except
through the Spirit crying out in us. With him, we can now say with complete
trust the prayer given us by Jesus: R/ Our Father...
Deliver
Us
Deliver us,
Lord, from every evil and grant in our day the peace of Christ, which is the
work of your Spirit. In your mercy keep us free from all the sins which
obstruct the unity and the universality of your Church. Protect us from all
anxiety and reassure us that even in the uncertainties of our time the Spirit
leads us forward in joyful hope toward the coming of our Savior Jesus
Christ. R/ For the kingdom...
Invitation
to Communion (see Rev 22:17,21)
The Spirit
and the Church say: Come. Let everyone who listens answer: Come. Let all who
are thirsty come. All who want it may have the water of life and have it for
free. This is the Risen Christ whose Spirit moves us forward to bear witness to
God’s love. R/ Lord, I am not worthy...
Prayer
after Communion
God our
Father, source of all love and joy, the Holy Spirit has opened our hearts to
understand the Word of your Son. May he give us the courage now to bring the
Good News to the poor and to set one another free from all injustice and
hardness of heart, that we may enjoy together your forgiveness, your joy and
your peace. And at the end, welcome us into your home, to be united forever
with you, Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. We ask this through Christ our
Lord. R/ Amen.
Blessing
Pentecost
does not belong to the past. It is here with us today, on condition we can
overcome our reluctance to be pushed forward by God’s Spirit and to do what we
know and see to be right and just and truthful. Let the Spirit make you free for
God and people. Overcome your fears, with the blessing of almighty God: the
Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. R/ Amen.
Go in peace
and take with you the love of the Holy Spirit. R/ Thanks be to God
Commentary
The Gospel begins by saying “On the evening of the First day
of the week.” By the time the Gospel of John was written, the first day of the
week had become the accepted day for Christians to gather for the celebration
of the Eucharist. John sets the scene of Jesus breathing on the disciples and
inviting them to “receive the Holy Spirit” in the backdrop of the weekly
gatherings of the first Christian community.
John gives the details of the incident: It was the first day
of the week, it was evening and the doors were closed. The closed doors may
simply have explained the fear of the disciples, as John himself presented. But
they may also have symbolised the hearts of the disciples, that are closed and
paralysed, not yet ready to believe that their Lord who was tortured and
killed, is now alive.
It is into the midst of these unbelieving group, the Lords
comes in. He is no more restrained by the closed doors – he passes through
their hardened hearts to breath peace and joy. Remember the words in the letter
to the Hebrews 4:12: “For the Word of God is living and active, sharper than
any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and
marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Was this the
experience of the disciples when they felt the Lord was breathing on them and
invited them to “receive the Holy Spirit?”
The Word of God is not chained! It pierces through any
closed doors – enters deep into the hearts of people. And whispers gently to
the hearts that are burdened, bruised, restless, frightened, lonely and sad,
the message of “Peace be with you.” He breaths happiness and peace into their
hearts and invite them to receive the Holy Spirit.
Jesus promises the guidance of the Spirit in our lives.
Gospel of John has given us extensive details on the works of the Holy Spirit.
“I will not leave you alone,” “The Spirit of Truth will guide you to all
truth.” Today, as the Church joyously celebrates its birthday, we are reminded
to pray to the Holy Spirit, for the guidance, direction, protection during our
journey of faith.
We often pray to God the Father, we pray to Jesus, but we
seldom pray to the Holy Spirit and thus fail to listen to the voice of the
Spirit. If we listen to him in silence, He makes the Word of God penetrate in
our hearts and gives us the strength to live by the Gospel. Today we are called
to let ourselves be led by the voice of the Spirit to give glory to Jesus.
==============
19 May 2024 PENTECOST SUNDAY
John 20 19-23
Come Holy Spirit
Today, as the Church joyously celebrates its birthday, we
are reminded to pray to the Holy Spirit for guidance, direction, and protection
during our journey of faith. "On the evening of the first day of
the week." By the time the Gospel of John was written, "The first day
of the week" had become accepted as a day for Christians to gather for
worship.
John depicts the scene where Jesus breathes on the disciples
and invites them to "receive the Holy Spirit" against the backdrop of
the weekly gatherings of the first Christian community. He paints a vivid
picture of the incident: It was evening, and the doors were closed, perhaps
symbolising the disciples' fears. Their hearts, too, were closed and
paralysed, not yet ready to accept the reality of their resurrected Lord.
Visualise the Lord's arrival in the midst of this
group of doubting disciples; He is no longer hindered by the closed doors – he
permeates their hardened hearts to instil peace and joy. Reflect on
the words in the letter to Hebrews 4:12: “For the Word of God is living and
active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and
spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the
heart.” Could this have been the disciples' experience when the Lord breathed on
them, and they were invited to “receive the Holy Spirit?”
"Peace be with you," Jesus whispers gently
into the hearts of those who are burdened, bruised, restless, frightened,
lonely, and sad. He breathes happiness and peace into their hearts and invites
them to receive the Holy Spirit. Today, we are called to let ourselves be led
by the voice of the Spirit to give glory to Jesus.
