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Reading 1: Acts 2:1-11
Responsorial: Psalm 104:1, 24, 29-31, 34
Reading 2: 1 Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13 OR Galatians 5:16-25
Gospel: John 20:19-23 OR John 15:26-27 OR John 16:12-15
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/052321-Day.cfm https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/
Happy Pentecost! Happy birthday to the Church! Happy birthday to the Church! Happy birthday, dear Church! Happy birthday to the Church!
Welcome back for another edition of deacon rudy’s notes! I’m Deacon Rudy Villarreal, and together we’re going to break open the Word! Our reflection for this weekend is on the readings for Pentecost, the Mass during the day.
I hope you have a piece of birthday cake or raise a glass to celebrate the Church’s birthday!
On this great feast of Pentecost, we remember the descent of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said several times in John’s Gospel account that we would not be left alone after he departs. The Advocate will come and dwell among us and guide us on our journey. And our first reading this weekend from Acts describes the extraordinary event when the Spirit arrived. There was “a noise like a strong driving wind” (Acts 2:2) and tongues of fire which “came to rest on each of them” (Acts 2:3).
Why? There was just no way for Jesus to do a complete download, so God sent “the Spirit of truth” (John 15:26). And the Spirit comes bearing gifts. These gifts enabled the apostles and the first disciples to testify to Jesus because they were with Jesus from the beginning (John 15:27).
Now there’s a lot of good news in these readings!
We are not alone! The Spirit is here with us!
And, the sacraments – wow! – the sacraments are not some magical instruments that BAM unlock everything we need to know to be near-perfect images of Jesus. No! Our coming to faith is a process. It’s like receiving a beautifully wrapped gift. You might be hesitant even to open it because you don’t want to ruin the beautiful wrapping. Maybe you carefully unwrap it and slowly open the box. But what you find doesn’t strike your fancy, so you set the box in your closet where it might sit and gather dust for years and years.
My brothers and sisters, each and every one of us received an incalculable amount of graces at our baptism and confirmation. We might not understand them, so we might not use them to build up God’s kingdom. But once we decide to go down the path of discipleship – once we commit or recommit ourselves to growing in our relationship with the Trinity, well, it’s like we took the present out of our closet, dusted it off, opened it, and carefully began to pull out the gifts within.
In our second reading, and I’m using the option from 1 Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13, Paul gives us that beautiful image that there is one body of Christ. Each of us makes up a part of the whole.
What does that mean?
It means that there is no one quite like you in church. And we need you. Without you, our community isn’t quite the same. Whether you are rich or poor, gainfully employed or homeless, a citizen or an immigrant doesn’t matter. You are important to God, and your presence in the community enriches our shared experience of Jesus Christ. Yes, we could limp along without you. But there is something about you that can help all of us.
In my experience, people are hesitant to understand their gifts, and they are hesitant for others to know their gifts because they don’t want to be a leader, or they might be afraid to fail. And if you’re the only one who steps forward, then I can certainly understand your hesitancy. It’s when we all work together – everyone carrying their fair share – that we, by our faith, can move mountains.
Maybe in our community, there is someone gifted with entrepreneurialism. They not only have leadership qualities, but they are an immensely talented cheerleader. They can rouse the Spirit within!
What gifts do I have to support that person and the ministry?
Maybe I’m gifted with organizational skills. So, I can offer to help behind the scenes keeping things organized.
Maybe I’m a gifted trainer and writer. Perhaps I can help create ministry training manuals and educational material.
Maybe I’m a gifted marketeer. Can I use my skills to help promote the ministry?
Maybe I’m a gifted bookkeeper. I can use my skills to steward the accounts.
Maybe I’m gifted with financial resources. Could I offer to help finance the ministry?
When we come together, each using their gifts, what hope we can bring to people in these uncertain times.
Homework! Stoked by the Word and the Eucharist in the Pentecostal flame, I invite you to reflect on the following two questions. We all have different gifts, and our gifts may manifest at different stages in our lives.
First, at this stage in my life, what gifts do I notice, and how can I use them to help my faith community?
Second, how can I help others identify and utilize their gifts?
Doing our homework might help us serve the body of Christ as disciples. Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit! +Amen!
You’re listening to deacon rudy’s notes. Thank you for joining me today. Our theme music was composed by Silent Partner. You can find all sorts of helpful information on the website at www.deaconrudysnotes.org. I’m Deacon Rudy Villarreal. Join me again next weekend as we break open the Word. Peace!
Image: Flames: iStock/Getty Images Plus/Baiterek Media. JPG.
Bibliography/Suggested Readings:
1. Kurz, William S. SJ. Acts of the Apostles. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2013. Kindle.
2. Martin, Francis and William M. Wright IV. The Gospel of John. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2015. Kindle.
3. Montague, George T. SM. First Corinthians. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2011. Kindle.
4. Vanhoye, Cardinal Albert and Peter. S. Williamson. Galatians. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2019. Kindle.
Catechism References http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:
1. Trinity: 221, 687
2. The Spirit reveals the Father and the Son: 243-48
3. The Spirit’s mission: 258, 729, 737
4. Apostolic witness on Pentecost: 599, 597, 674, 715
5. The risen Jesus: 641-46
6. Fire as a symbol of the Holy Spirit: 696
7. Pentecost: 696, 726, 731-41, 830, 1076, 1287, 2623
8. Guidance and transformation by the Spirit: 736, 1695, 1832, 2744
9. The Holy Spirit and the Church: 737-41
10. The Church, communion in the Spirit: 767, 775, 798, 796, 813, 1097, 1108-9
11. Union in the body of Christ: 789-91
12. Discerning charisms: 801
13. Communion of charisms: 951
14. The mystery of Pentecost continues in the Church: 1152, 1226, 1302, 1556
15. Effects of Confirmation: 1302-5
16. The sacrament of reconciliation: 1461-67
17. Penance and conversion: 1470
18. The Spirit is the new law: 1966, 1983
19. Idolatry: 2113
20. The flesh is concupiscence: 2515
Pentecost Sunday
Mass during the Day https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/052321-Day.cfm
Lectionary: 63
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.”
Responsorial
Psalm 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34
R. (cf. 30) 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.
OR:
Galatians 5:16-25
Brothers and sisters, live by the Spirit and you will certainly not gratify the desire of the flesh. For the flesh has desires against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you may not do what you want. But if you are guided by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are obvious: immorality, impurity, lust, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, rivalry, jealousy, outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness, dissensions, factions, occasions of envy, drinking bouts, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Jonn 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.”
OR:
John 15:26-27
Jesus said to his disciples: “When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me. And you also testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.
“I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.”
OR
John 16:12-15
“I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.