Pentecost Sunday
First Reading: Acts of the Apostles 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 own 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."
Second Reading: Romans 8:8-17
Brothers and sisters, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh; on the contrary, you are in the spirit, if only the Spirit of God dwells in you. Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the spirit is alive because of righteousness. If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also, through his Spirit that dwells in you. Consequently, brothers, we are not debtors to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 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. For those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption, through which we cry, "Abba, Father!" The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.
Gospel Reading: John 14:15-16,23-26
Jesus
said to his disciples: "If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always. Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; yet the word you hear is not mine but that of the Father who sent me. I have told you this while I am with you. The Advocate, the holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name-- he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you."
Reflection: Fr. James Theophilus
Holy Spirit is a gift. It is not acquired through hard work or efforts. It is not like the things of the world where the harder you work the greater you gain. Gift is given freely. The one who receives it can only be grateful to God for it. The receiver of the gift should enjoy the gift by living the gift.
This gift is not given by anyone else than Jesus himself. Holy Spirit is a gift from the other world and the only person who has come down form the other world is none other than Jesus. We can ask and pray to Jesus for this gift but it is his wish to give it whomsoever he wants it to be given.
This gift is not given by anyone else than Jesus himself. Holy Spirit is a gift from the other world and the only person who has come down form the other world is none other than Jesus. We can ask and pray to Jesus for this gift but it is his wish to give it whomsoever he wants it to be given.
