“I have told you this while I am with you. The Advocate, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.”
We complete the fifty-day celebration of Easter with the feast of Pen- tecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles. As the world was transformed when Christ was born, making God incarnate in our world, the world is transformed once more with God’s gift of the Holy Spirit to all who are baptized, making God present continuously and forever in our world. Indeed, the Holy Spirit has gathered us together today to praise and worship our everlastingly generous God.
Introduction to the Liturgy of the Word
It could be said that the climax of all the readings we will hear today comes in the very first paragraph of the first reading. A strong driving wind . . . tongues of fire . . . speaking in tongues. The Holy Spirit made quite the entrance! But the special effects are only the beginning. With the Holy Spirit, the apostles could be understood by every foreigner, no matter their native language. With the Holy Spirit, we have God dwelling in us, uniting us as one. With the Holy Spirit, we have the fulfillment of Jesus’ parting promise to his disciples, God’s abiding gift to us. Let us be aware of the Holy Spirit within us as we listen to God’s word.
Reflections
• “You are witnesses of these things,” we just heard on the feast of the Ascension (Luke 24:48). Yes, the apostles were witnesses of the risen Lord and his ascension to glory, not to mention all his preaching and teaching and healing. But what good is it to witness something if you do not testify to it? And what good is it to testify to something if no one understands you? The very first thing that the Holy Spirit enables the disciples to do is to proclaim the “mighty acts of God” (Acts 2:11) in ways that everyone—no matter their background, no matter their language, no matter their native country or region—can understand.
• The first sign of the Holy Spirit was a strong driving wind, which entered and filled the entire house. The wind cannot be seen, but it can be felt and we can see its effects, whether it’s the gentle breeze fluttering the leaves of the trees or the destructive swirling gust of a tornado. Similarly, we cannot see the Holy Spirit, but we can feel effects: a gentle nudge to reach out to someone in need when we’re reluctant to do so or an overpowering urge to turn our lives around.
• Today our Jewish sisters and brothers celebrate Shavuot, the Feast of Weeks, commemorating the day when God gave the Torah to Moses on Mount Sinai and the Jewish community became a nation dedicated to serving God. They recall how their ancestors, having been freed from enslavement in Egypt, entered into a covenant with God. They promised their obedience to the Law and God promised an enduring presence in their lives. God’s enduring presence in the lives of humanity is valued highly by people of all faiths. We too celebrate God’s enduring presence, in the person of the Holy Spirit, who guides us, comforts us, advocates for us, and gives us peace.
Question of the Week
Can I change the words I use or the language I use to effectively communicate God’s “mighty acts,” God’s good news, and God’s love and forgiveness to others?
-from Pastoral Patterns
readings of the mass
LISTEN HEREto the Audio Recordings of the Readings of Sunday, June 5th, 2022, Pentecost.
SELECT HEREfor the Readings of Sunday, June 5th, 2022, Pentecost.
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