Posted: 5/16/2013 6:33:19 PM EDT
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First Reading:
Acts of the Apostles 2:1-11 1 And when the days of Pentecost were completed, they were all together in the same place. 2 And suddenly, there came a sound from heaven, like that of a wind approaching violently, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared to them separate tongues, as if of fire, which settled upon each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. And they began to speak in various languages, just as the Holy Spirit bestowed eloquence to them. 5 Now there were Jews staying in Jerusalem, pious men from every nation that is under heaven. 6 And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together and was confused in mind, because each one was listening to them speaking in his own language. 7 Then all were astonished, and they wondered, saying: “Behold, are not all of these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we have each heard them in our own language, into which we were born? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and those who inhabit Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya which are around Cyrene, and new arrivals of the Romans, 11 likewise Jews and new converts, Cretans and Arabs: we have heard them speaking in our own languages the mighty deeds of God.” Responsorial Psalm 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. Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:3b-7,12-13 3b And no one is able to say that Jesus is Lord, except in the Holy Spirit. 4 Truly, there are diverse graces, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are diverse ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diverse works, but the same God, who works everything in everyone. 7 However, the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one toward what is beneficial. 12 For just as the body is one, and yet has many parts, so all the parts of the body, though they are many, are only one body. So also is Christ. 13 And indeed, in one Spirit, we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Gentiles, whether servant or free. And we all drank in the one Spirit. or Romans 8:8-17 8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But you are not in the flesh, you are in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Any one who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 10 But if Christ is in you, although your bodies are dead because of sin, your spirits are alive because of righteousness. 11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit which dwells in you. 12 So then, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh -- 13 for if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the spirit of sonship. When we cry, "Abba! Father!" 16 it is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. Gospel John 20:19-23 19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you." 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." or John 14:15-16; 23b-26 15 "If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, to be with you for ever, 23b "If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 He who does not love me does not keep my words; and the word which you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me. 25 "These things I have spoken to you, while I am still with you. 26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Overview of the Gospel: • This Sunday’s Gospel is a reading that we just heard on the 2nd Sunday of Easter. For this Pentecost Sunday, therefore, we will instead be looking at the First Reading for this Sunday, taken from the Acts of the Apostles. • The setting is at Jerusalem in the upper room where the Last Supper had been held. It is 10 days after the Ascension, at which time Jesus had left them specific instructions (Acts 1:45). About 120 people, including Mary, were present. It is the time of the Jewish feast of Pentecost. • Pentecost, or the Feast of Weeks (in Hebrew, Shavout), was one of three major Jewish pilgrim feasts, celebrated seven weeks after Passover (Deuteronomy 16:16). Devout Jews from all over the known world would be in Jerusalem for these two feasts (verses 9-11). Originally a harvest festival where God’s people would offer him the first fruits (best part) of the harvest, it came to be also a commemoration of the giving of the Law to Moses on Mt. Sinai on the fiftieth day after the Exodus from Egypt (from the Greek Petekoste, meaning “fiftieth”). • Christians now celebrate Pentecost as the “birthday” of the Church, and a celebration of the giving of the New Law of the Spirit written on the hearts of believers (Jeremiah 31:31-34; 2 Corinthians 3:4-6) as was promised to the Apostles by Our Lord (John 15:26;16:13; 20:22, Luke 24:49). Questions: • Even though as Christians, we have “the first fruits of the Spirit” (2nd Reading, verse 23). How is it, then, that we are “groaning within ourselves as we are awaiting adoption” [by God]? How do verses 24 through 26 help to answer this? • What was the original meaning of the Feast of Pentecost for Jews (Deuteronomy 16:9-10)? What theological significance did they add to this feast? Why do you think God chose the Jewish Feast of Pentecost to give the Holy Spirit to the Church? What is the meaning of Pentecost for Christians (Acts 2:32-33; CCC 715)? • How far have these pilgrims come (verses 9-11)? What attracts them to the disciples? Would you respond more like those in verse 12 or those in verse 13? Why? • When have you experienced an empowering from God to witness about Christ? How does being filled with the Spirit relate to bearing witness about Christ? • Have you ever had a strong religious conversion experience? If so, how did your behavior change, and what did your family and friends think about it? What did you think about it? |
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• How far have these pilgrims come (verses 9-11)? What attracts them to the disciples? Would you respond more like those in verse 12 or those in verse 13? Why?
Jewish pilgrims have come to Jerusalem from the entire Middle East. Pentecost is an Israelite-Jewish festival. In Exodus 23:14-17 it is called simply the harvest festival, the feast of first-fruits of the grain harvest. In Exodus 34:22 it is called the feast of weeks, the first-fruits of the grain harvest. In Leviticus 23:15-21 the feast is reckoned by counting seven weeks from the beginning of the grain harvest; it is a day of Sabbatical observance. In Numbers 28:26-31 it is called the feast of weeks, the day of first-fruits. In Deuteronomy 16:9-12 it is the feast of weeks, which occurs seven weeks after the beginning of the grain harvest. It is one of the three major festivals in all the older lists of feasts. As a major feast, all Jewish males over the age of 12 from far and near were expected to try to celebrate it in Jerusalem. The Jews represent the ingathering of Israel from their dispersion among all the nations. So they were there to begin with, but a startling event from the confines of the house to the surrounding area stops them in their tracks. The miracle is not in the hearing by these gathered Jews outside the Apostle's room. The Spirit is in the speakers who speak in these foreign tongues, proclaiming the glory and greatness of God. Hearing these bold proclamations in one's own tongue, who would NOT be attracted to this? And yet, look at what happens to some who hear the Spirit as shown in verses 12-13: 12 Everyone was amazed and perplexed; they asked one another what it all meant. 13 Some, however, laughed it off. 'They have been drinking too much new wine,' they said Peter, of course, sets them straight. And what is the result in verse 37: 37 Hearing this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, 'What are we to do, brothers?' If I had heard this glorious expression, I would have fallen on my knees and praised God; maybe even repeat what St. Peter exclaimed to our Lord after that great catch of fish: "...depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord..." 
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