Tag: Holy Spirit

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This Too Shall Pass

picture of red umbrella in monochrome picture of a deck

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Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Mass Readings

First Reading: Wisdom 12:13, 16-19
Responsorial: Psalm 86:5-6, 9-10, 15-16
Second Reading: Romans 8:26-27
Gospel: Matthew 13:24-43

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/071920.cfm
https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/

My brothers and sisters, peace be with you! I know that, “peace,” sounds a bit strange right now, especially if you’ve been following the news. It feels like we’re facing a torrential storm armed only with an umbrella. There’s so much anger spilling over into senseless violence, destruction of monuments and even desecration churches. It’s hard to imagine how we got here. But we are here and the here and now demands a response. The Good News is that we do not have to do this alone.

In our first reading from the Book of Wisdom we are reminded of God’s compassion and mercy, and I think that gives us some insight into what needs to happen. How many of us have ever had the experience of losing our tempers and saying things we regretted? Maybe we don’t believe that our idea or what we said was wrong, but how we said it was just awful – definitely not the way we were raised.

Before we can move forward, we need to stop and apologize. It doesn’t matter how right we were, if we hurt someone in the process, we need to apologize. I think now more than ever, we all need to help facilitate God’s forgiveness in the world. We need to be agents of peace and reconciliation, ready to give a hug rather than a rebuke – a lending handing rather than a clenched fist. It starts with us. We need to ask God to still our racing hearts and quiet our anxious minds so that we can help.

One of the parables Jesus gives us in today’s Gospel from Matthew is about the wheat and weeds. It’s an interesting parable to consider. How, I wonder, is it possible now in these strange times for God to produce good things, like the wheat from the parable, when the it seems that the garden is choked with weeds?

To do this requires prayer – maybe a ton of prayer! But how? Maybe you’re feeling off balance – so hurt – so convinced that our world is going to hell, that you’re not sure where to begin. That’s ok. Because the Spirit is here to help us pray. That’s what St. Paul is telling us in our second reading today. Maybe that groaning deep in your heart isn’t some form of depression, but the Spirit trying to praise God. The Spirit tries to give voice to our deepest pain and yearning even when we don’t have the words.

That is good news! There is hope! How do I know?

Look at today’s Gospel reading. Jesus gives us a parable, then He gives us another parable – and then another one. He keeps giving us parable after parable. You know why? Because Jesus doesn’t give up on us. He keeps giving us parables in the hope that one of them will connect – that we’ll get it. If Jesus isn’t ready to give up on us, then we shouldn’t give up either.

This storm will end. This too shall pass. I can’t tell you when and I can’t tell you how, but at some point, we will all set down our umbrellas and face the dawn of a new tomorrow. How can I be sure? Because I am a Christian! Jesus Christ died and rose from the dead. His resurrection gives me hope in God’s promise that despite the challenges we face, we are saved! That is the faith of mustard seed ready to grow large. My brothers and sisters, that is Good News!

Homework! Nourished by the Word of God and the Eucharist, please reflect on the following questions.

  1. He intercedes for the holy ones. How do I cooperate with the Spirit in prayer and action?
  2. You, O Lord, are good and forgiving. In what ways can I lead my community to acts of healing and reconciliation?

I think our homework today will help us as disciples respond in prayer to God and help bring healing into a world that desperately needs the light of Jesus Christ. Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit! +Amen!

Image Credit: Unknown. JPEG file.

References:
1. Hahn, Scott W. and Curtis Mitch. Romans. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academics, 2017.
2. Mitch, Curtis and Edward Sri. The Gospel of Matthew. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2010.
3. The Bible: A Study Bible freshly translated by Nicholas King. Buxhall, Suffolk UK: Kevin Mayhew, 2013.

Catechism References http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:
1. Destiny of creation, 280, 1046-48
2. God’s goodness and the scandal of evil, 309-14
3. Christ and angels, 333
4. The Kingdom of God, 543-50
5. Prayer in the Spirit, 741, 2736, 2766
6. Weeds and seed of Gospel in everyone and in the Church, 825, 827
7. Church as holy, 827
8. Resurrection of the body, 989-91
9. Hell, 1034
10. Need for ongoing conversion, 1425-29
11. Future glory, 1721
12. Christian hope, 1817-21
13. Prayer of petition voiced profoundly by the Holy Spirit, 2630

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/071920.cfm
Lectionary: 106

Reading 1
Wisdom 12:13, 16-19
There is no god besides you who have the care of all,
that you need show you have not unjustly condemned.
For your might is the source of justice;
your mastery over all things makes you lenient to all.
For you show your might when the perfection of your power is disbelieved;
and in those who know you, you rebuke temerity.
But though you are master of might, you judge with clemency,
and with much lenience you govern us;
for power, whenever you will, attends you.
And you taught your people, by these deeds,
that those who are just must be kind;
and you gave your children good ground for hope
that you would permit repentance for their sins.

Responsorial
Psalm 86:5-6, 9-10, 15-16
R. (5a) Lord, you are good and forgiving.
You, O LORD, are good and forgiving,
abounding in kindness to all who call upon you.
Hearken, O LORD, to my prayer
and attend to the sound of my pleading.
R. Lord, you are good and forgiving.
All the nations you have made shall come
and worship you, O LORD,
and glorify your name.
For you are great, and you do wondrous deeds;
you alone are God.
R. Lord, you are good and forgiving.
You, O LORD, are a God merciful and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in kindness and fidelity.
Turn toward me, and have pity on me;
give your strength to your servant.
R. Lord, you are good and forgiving.

Reading 2
Romans 8:26-27
Brothers and sisters:
The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness;
for we do not know how to pray as we ought,
but the Spirit himself intercedes with inexpressible groanings.
And the one who searches hearts
knows what is the intention of the Spirit,
because he intercedes for the holy ones
according to God’s will.

Alleluia
CF. Matthew 11:25
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;
you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the kingdom.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Matthew 13:24-43 OR 13:24-30
Jesus proposed another parable to the crowds, saying:
“The kingdom of heaven may be likened
to a man who sowed good seed in his field.
While everyone was asleep his enemy came
and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off.
When the crop grew and bore fruit, the weeds appeared as well.
The slaves of the householder came to him and said,
‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field?
Where have the weeds come from?’
He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’
His slaves said to him,
‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
He replied, ‘No, if you pull up the weeds
you might uproot the wheat along with them.
Let them grow together until harvest;
then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters,
“First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning;
but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”

He proposed another parable to them.
“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed
that a person took and sowed in a field.
It is the smallest of all the seeds,
yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants.
It becomes a large bush,
and the ‘birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.’”

He spoke to them another parable.
“The kingdom of heaven is like yeast
that a woman took and mixed with three measures of wheat flour
until the whole batch was leavened.”

All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables.
He spoke to them only in parables,
to fulfill what had been said through the prophet:
I will open my mouth in parables,
I will announce what has lain hidden from the foundation
of the world.

Then, dismissing the crowds, he went into the house.
His disciples approached him and said,
“Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”
He said in reply, “He who sows good seed is the Son of Man,
the field is the world, the good seed the children of the kingdom.
The weeds are the children of the evil one,
and the enemy who sows them is the devil.
The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
Just as weeds are collected and burned up with fire,
so will it be at the end of the age.
The Son of Man will send his angels,
and they will collect out of his kingdom
all who cause others to sin and all evildoers.
They will throw them into the fiery furnace,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.
Then the righteous will shine like the sun
in the kingdom of their Father.
Whoever has ears ought to hear.”

or

Jesus proposed another parable to the crowds, saying:
“The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man
who sowed good seed in his field.
While everyone was asleep his enemy came
and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off.
When the crop grew and bore fruit, the weeds appeared as well.
The slaves of the householder came to him and said,
‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field?
Where have the weeds come from?’
He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’
His slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
He replied, ‘No, if you pull up the weeds
you might uproot the wheat along with them.
Let them grow together until harvest;
then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters,
“First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning;
but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”

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Living the Trinity

hands of people of different races holding a globe

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The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity Mass Readings
First Reading: Exodus 34:4B-6, 8-9
Responsorial: Daniel 3:52-56
Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 13:11-13
Gospel: John 3:16-18

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/060720.cfm
https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you. These Trinitarian words of Paul that we find in our second reading today are so important that they are part of the beginning of every mass and they set the tone for the love and peace for which all Christians strive.

To summarize G.K. Chesterton, Trinity is a technically correct way of saying, God is love. As we look around the world this year at all the natural disasters like the earthquakes in Puerto Rico, the wildfires that ravaged the Amazon and Australia, a number of humanitarian crises around the world like in Yemen, Venezuela and the US southern border, to the COVID-19 pandemic, a new Ebola outbreak in the Congo, and now to the brutal murder of George Floyd that has sparked widespread civil unrest across the United States, it is difficult to see love.

The Trinity is the key to understanding our Christian faith, but if we don’t consider how the Trinity is applicable in our every day lives, then we reduce it to nothing more than a philosophical concept.

Before we try to wade into these rather deep, and perhaps viscous waters, let’s make sure we’re all on the same page. Feel free to answer along with me. Do you accept that God is love? Yes. Do you accept that we are all created in the image and likeness of God? Yes. Do you accept conversion is a lifelong process of trying to do good and avoid evil? Yes.

Good! Now that that’s out of the way, what is unconscious bias? An unconscious bias is a learned stereotype that is automatic, unintentional, deeply ingrained, universal, and able to influence behavior. It could cause us to look at someone in a way that is not image and likeness of God. So, unconscious bias is something the discerning Christian struggles against. To put it another way, when we perform an examination of conscience, we need to move beyond a sin, like I bit my sister and kicked the dog, or I kicked my sister and bit the dog, and try to get at the root causes of sin. St. Ignatius and St. Teresa of Avila and perhaps other saints challenge us to examine root causes of sin in our lives. If we do this, we are better able to seek authentic reconciliation and experience the consolation of the Holy Spirit.

That’s important to understand because unconscious bias can stand in the way of us experiencing the God who is love. Take a homeless person for example. I can’t speak for others, but in the United States, the idea that we are each responsible for our own lives and that we should pick ourselves up by our bootstraps is a common sentiment. This idea can help shape my unconscious bias against the homeless, for example. Were I not aware of it and if during my formation before ordination I hadn’t spent time living on the streets with the homeless, then I might look at a homeless person and immediately judge them as a loser, an alcoholic, a druggie. I might even think to myself, “It’s their own fault that they’re living on the streets.”

Please don’t get me wrong I’m not suggesting that there aren’t things in our control that could increase or reduce the likelihood of ending up homeless. But at the core of writing off a homeless person can be a dehumanizing feeling – that somehow they are less than me.

I’ve heard similar language – even from people in my own extended family – about illegal immigrants. That because they break the law by entering the country illegally, they are somehow less than me – less than human – not worthy of our concern.

Now, there’s no clearer example of unconscious bias than racism. Think about Mr. George Floyd. The civil unrest across the United States is not because he was accused of a crime and arrested. No! The country is exploding because something caused a police officer to kneel on Mr. Floyd and kill him. Maybe it was a conscious bias, an unconscious bias, or some hybrid of the two, but people believe that Mr. Floyd was killed because of the color of his skin. All too often, racism can be an automatic, unintentional, deeply ingrained reaction to someone who is different from us. It dehumanizes the other person. Enough is enough!

Where do we go from here? I suggest to you that our faith in the Trinity gives us a way forward. If the Trinity is a community of love, then I am called as a Christian to love those around me – not just my family and friends, but everyone. I’m not talking about some wishy-washy campfire where we all sing kumbaya. Real love modeled on our Gospel John 3:16 means I’m willing to sacrifice for your benefit, not mine. Real love means I’m not afraid to hold you accountable when you do something wrong. Real loves means I will not treat you like you’re beneath me because you break the rules, or you look or sound different from me.

How do I get there? One path that the Catholic tradition gives us is called an examination of conscience. Trying to understand the root causes of sin in our lives – especially if we catch ourselves judging someone on first appearances – is a good step toward healing the wounds of division among us and a great way to experience real consolation of the Spirit. Exchanging the sign of peace that we find in our second reading, another influence on the mass, becomes an act of love when we work to identify and weed out unconscious bias from our lives. I suggest to you that experiencing and sharing the love of the Trinity is the best way forward.

Homework! Nourished by the Word of God and the Eucharist, I encourage you to reflect on the following questions.

  1. God so loved the world that he gave his only Son. How can I share God’s love with the world? How am I willing to give myself to love?
  2. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whom have I judged too harshly? How can I engage the broader culture in faith?
  3. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned. Do I know anyone who is searching for God? How can I accompany them on their journey?

I think doing our homework will help us experience authentic discipleship. Do you get it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit! +Amen!

Image Credit: Unknown. JPEG file.

Learning Opportunities:
1. Francis. Amoris Laetitia. Vatican.va. 2016. https://w2.vatican.va/content/dam/francesco/pdf/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20160319_amoris-laetitia_en.pdf.
2. Walk by Faith Wednesday Webinars with Deacon Harold, #06 Catholic Response to Racism.” 03 June 2020. Video, 1:04:06. https://youtu.be/V861OUAIlls.

References:
1. Lectio Divina Of The Gospels. Washington, D.C.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2019.
2. Martin, Francis and William M. Wright IV. The Gospel of John. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2015.
3. Stegman, Thomas D., SJ. Second Corinthians. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2009.
4. The Bible: A Study Bible freshly translated by Nicholas King. Buxhall, Suffolk UK: Kevin Mayhew, 2013.

Catechism References http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:
1. Faith as a grace, 153
2. The mystery of the Trinity, 202, 232-60, 684, 732
3. The Trinity in the Church and her liturgy, 249, 813, 950, 1077-1109, 2845
4. Name of the Holy Spirit, 691
5. Symbols of the Holy Spirit, 694
6. Baptism, 1214-16
7. Baptism mask us a new creature, 1265-66
8. The Trinity and prayer, 2655, 2664-72
9. The family as an image of the Trinity, 2205

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
Mass Readings: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/060720.cfm
Lectionary: 164

Reading 1
Exodus 34:4B-6, 8-9
Early in the morning Moses went up Mount Sinai
as the LORD had commanded him,
taking along the two stone tablets.

Having come down in a cloud, the LORD stood with Moses there
and proclaimed his name, “LORD.”
Thus the LORD passed before him and cried out,
“The LORD, the LORD, a merciful and gracious God,
slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity.”
Moses at once bowed down to the ground in worship.
Then he said, “If I find favor with you, O Lord,
do come along in our company.
This is indeed a stiff-necked people; yet pardon our wickedness and sins,
and receive us as your own.”

Responsorial
Daniel 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56
R. (52b) Glory and praise for ever!
Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever;
And blessed is your holy and glorious name,
praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages.
R. Glory and praise for ever!
Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory,
praiseworthy and glorious above all forever.
R. Glory and praise for ever!
Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.
R. Glory and praise for ever!
Blessed are you who look into the depths
from your throne upon the cherubim,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.
R. Glory and praise for ever!

Reading 2
2 Corinthians 13:11-13
Brothers and sisters, rejoice.
Mend your ways, encourage one another,
agree with one another, live in peace,
and the God of love and peace will be with you.
Greet one another with a holy kiss.
All the holy ones greet you.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ
and the love of God
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.

Alleluia
cf Revelation 1:8
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Glory to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit;
to God who is, who was, and who is to come.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
John 3:16-18
God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might not perish
but might have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but that the world might be saved through him.
Whoever believes in him will not be condemned,
but whoever does not believe has already been condemned,
because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

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Gifts of the Spirit

Photograph of mural of the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles and Mary

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Pentecost Mass During the Day Readings

First Reading: Acts 2:1-11
Responsorial: Psalm 104:1, 24, 29-31, 34
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:3B-7, 12-13
Gospel: John 20:19-23

http://cms.usccb.org/bible/readings/053120-day.cfm
https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/

Happy Birthday, church! This great celebration of Pentecost is in fact the birthday of the Church, so be sure to mark this birthday in some special way today. We’ve been hearing in the Scriptures these past several weeks about the coming of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is here already among Christ’s disciples. We received the power of the Holy Spirit at Baptism which is confirmed on us at Confirmation.

The Spirit comes bearing gifts, as we hear in the second reading from First Corinthians. Now, these are no ordinary gifts. These gifts are manifestations of the life of Trinity (Montague, Loc 4664). These gifts are given to all disciples for the good of the entire community, (Montague, Loc 4578). Why? What’s the purpose of these gifts? These gifts help build up the church in faith, hope, and love, (Montague, Loc 4605). All other virtues flow from faith, hope and love.

Now this is so important for us as the world begins to emerge from isolation. You would think things would start returning to normal. But unfortunately, in some places, people bristle at public health suggestions designed to reduce the likelihood of new hot spots. There is really a stunning amount of disagreement. Tempted as we might, we are called as disciples to help – to help other Christians cope and to reach out to others who are confused, scared, feeling alone or agitated and even those who seem to care less how their actions affect those around them. All disciples are sent out into the world!

But what can we do? What are we supposed to do?

The gifts of the Holy Spirit, wisdom, knowledge, counsel, fortitude, understanding, piety and looking on God with awe and wonder, are available to all disciples – indeed they are given to all disciples. Paul affirms that and tells us we only need ask for them. Jesus also told us this long before his Ascension. Luke’s Gospel records Jesus saying, “If you…know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?” (Luke 11:13).

That we have gifts and that gifts are available to us is not in question. How then do we know which gifts we have or which gifts others have? Well, one of the ways we do that is through a prayerful process we call discernment. Now this is something we hear Pope Francis speak about frequently. There are so many excellent resources out there to help us discern, but here’s the reader’s digest version.

First, have courage. Too many people talk about discernment, but few actually do it. Second, prayerfully consider what ever it is you’re trying to discern. Third, recognize that the Spirit may speak to you through others around you. That is to say, your own friends and family speaking through the gift of good counsel may give you insight into your question. Fourth, get more data. Sometimes you may not have enough information to discern, so you need to collect more data. Maybe that means going on retreat – even a virtual retreat. Or maybe it means taking a class or reading a particular book. Whatever it is, it’s very likely that deep down you know what you should do to collect more data. And that leads me to the final step in the process – do something! Take action! You will never know what gifts you have until you actually try to figure it out.

This time of COVID-19 has been an excellent opportunity for some people’s gifts to manifest. Remember, that’s really what these gifts are all about – being put to the service of the community. I’ll give you an example. I can’t tell you how many times I notice on a social media someone who expresses fear. How can we help people like that even if we’re going to continue social distancing for a while because perhaps you are in a highly susceptible category?

Here’s a great example. A friend of mine from the UK who lives in Switzerland started an online rosary which was prayed twice a week while the churches here were closed. There are people on this call from the UK and Switzerland and all those people are from a variety of countries. So, it’s quite an international collection of people. Bringing everyone together to pray the rosary was not only pious worship of God when we couldn’t get to mass, but it brought an incredible sense of peace during a most unsettling time in all of our lives.

You might think to yourself, “hang on…that’s not a big demonstration of spiritual gifts,” and perhaps you’re right. But God isn’t asking most of us to part the Red Sea. We can exercise our gifts in quite ordinary ways, but the impact could be huge. We may never know the impact we have on others – only God knows. But one thing is clear. Using our gifts for the Kingdom in the ordinary moments of our lives is like throwing a small stone in a still pond. The water ripples and moves and we can’t possibly account for how the water will affect everything it comes into contact with – or even how it will affect us as the ripples echo back from the shore.

No exercise of our gifts can be too small! So, my brothers and sisters, have courage! Don’t be afraid to discover and exercise your gifts. You never know how calming your faith and your gifts might be to someone you know.

Homework! Nourished by the Word of God and the Eucharist, I encourage you to reflect on the following questions.

  1. Peace be with you. How have I experienced Christ’s peace? How can I share this peace with my family, my co-workers, with the world?
  2. As the Father has sent me, so I send you. How did I discern/am I discerning my vocation? How can I support others in their discernment?
  3. Receive the Holy Spirit. What gifts have I received from the Holy Spirit? How can I place these gifts at the service of the community?

I think doing our homework will help us as disciples to go out and serve all those we encounter. One quick announcement before we part company: this Wednesday is the first Wednesday of the month which means another installment of All Things Catholic! As churches slowly begin to reopen, there are people out there wondering why it’s important to go back to church. Why can’t we just watch church on TV and avoid the crowded parking lots? That’s the topic for this Wednesday for All Things Catholic: why do we need to go to church? Alright, do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit! +Amen!

Image Credit: Villarreal, Rudy. “Pentecost,” (personal photograph of the descent of the Holy Spirit chapel, Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary, Lourdes, France). 2020. JPEG file.

References:
1. Kurz, William S. Acts of the Apostles. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2013.
2. Lectio Divina Of The Gospels. Washington, D.C.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2019.
3. Martin, Francis and William M. Wright IV. The Gospel of John. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2015.
4. Montague, George T., SM. First Corinthians. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2011.
5. Pope Paul VI. Evangelii Nuntiandi. Vatican.va. December 8, 1975. Accessed May 30, 2020, http://www.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/en/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_p-vi_exh_19751208_evangelii-nuntiandi.html.
6. The Bible: A Study Bible freshly translated by Nicholas King. Buxhall, Suffolk UK: Kevin Mayhew, 2013.

Catechism References: Easily search the Catechism at http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm
1. Discerning revelations, 67
2. Apostolic witness on Pentecost, 599, 597, 674, 715
3. The risen Jesus, 614-46
4. Fire as a symbol of the Holy Spirit, 696
5. Pentecost, 696, 726, 731-41, 830, 1076, 1287, 2623
6. The Holy Spirit and the Church, 737-41
7. The Church, communion in the Spirit, 767, 775, 798, 796, 813, 1097, 1108-09
8. Union in the body of Christ, 789-91
9. Discerning +charisms, 801
10. Communion of +charisms, 951
11. The Mystery of Pentecost continues in the Church, 1152, 1226, 1302, 1556
12. Sacrament of Reconciliation, 1461-67,
13. Theological virtues, 1812-13

Pentecost
Mass during the Day: http://cms.usccb.org/bible/readings/053120-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 21 COR 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.

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
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.”