Sts Peter and Paul

OVERWHELMED BY GRACE

INTRODUCTORY RITES

Gather as a family/ community; create an environment appropriate for prayer (dress appropriately - switch off your phones...). 

We are conscious that Christ is present not only in the Blessed Sacrament but also in the Scriptures and in our hearts. Even when we are on our own, we remain part of the Body of Christ.

Place lighted candles, a crucifix, and the Bible on a covered table. These remind us of the sacredness of our time of prayer and could help us feel connected with our local worshipping communities.

You may sing or play an appropriate hymn. For instance:

Though the Mountains May Fall

On Eagle’s Wings

The Sign of the Cross

Greeting and Introductory Words

L: The Lord invites us to the table of his Word: let us bless him for his goodness.

A: Blessed be God forever.

L: Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul. They are the two pillars on whom our Lord built his Church. Peter denied Christ and Paul persecuted Christ. But through grace, they dedicated their whole life to the spread of the Gospel despite hardships. 

We pray that we may open ourselves to God’s grace and proclaim his love and mercy to all people

Penitential Rite

L: For the times we have not proclaimed the gospel and have allowed ourselves to be overwhelmed by troubles, we ask the Lord for pardon.

        Pause

L: Lord Jesus, you are the Christ, the Son of the living God:

Lord, have mercy. 

A: Lord, have mercy.

L: Lord Jesus, we are alive because you live in us: 

Christ, have mercy.

A: Christ, have mercy.

L: Lord Jesus, you draw all things together in yourself:

Lord, have mercy.

A: Lord, have mercy.

L: May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins,

and bring us to everlasting life.

A: Amen.

Gloria

 

Opening Prayer

L: Lord, you crowned the faith of Peter and the tireless preaching of Paul with a share in Christ’s triumphant death. Renew our faith through their intercession and, by the example of their lives, rekindle our zeal for proclaiming the gospel.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

God for ever and ever. 

A: Amen.

THE LITURGY OF THE WORD

Readings

The readings are those assigned for the day in the Lectionary.

Preferably use a Bible/ Lectionary for reading.

Liturgical Readings for Sts Peter and Paul

Reading 1    Acts 12:1-11

Psalm         Psalm 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9

Response The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him. 

                Option 1 or Option 2

Reading 2 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18

Acclamation

                        Alleluia, alleluia.

                        You are Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church,

                        and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.

                  Acclamation

Gospel         Matthew 16:13-19    

 

Reflection on the Readings

 

Use one of the following ways to reflect on the readings.

Lectio Divina

What are your thoughts and feelings when you hear Peter’s reply to Jesus’ question: “But who do you say that I am” and Jesus’ affirmation of Peter?

Sunday Snippets

Allen Gardiner was a British naval officer and a missionary to South Africa, Chile, and Patagonia. Despite the many hardships he experienced as a missionary, he said: “While God gives me strength, failure will not daunt me.” He died, aged 57, of disease and starvation while serving on Picton Island. His diary, found near his body, bore the record of hunger, thirst, wounds, and loneliness. The last entries written with a trembling hand read: “I am, by his abounding grace, kept in perfect peace, refreshed with a sense of my saviour’s love… I am overwhelmed by the grace of God.”

Peter and Paul, like Gardiner, could write/ talk about the abounding grace of God in their lives! 

The first reading recounts God’s dramatic rescue of Peter from prison: four squads of four soldiers each guard Peter, who is secured by double chains; an angel leads a dazed Peter past the guards and past the closed iron gates. The whole episode indicates that Peter’s escape is through God’s grace.

In the gospel, Jesus tells Peter that it is God’s grace alone that has revealed to him that Jesus is the Christ.

Paul’s words to Timothy—“I was rescued from the lion’s mouth”—attest to God’s grace, which has preserved him “from every threat.” Because of God’s abounding grace, Paul could write “we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9).

Through the hardships and difficulties of our lives—nothing compared with the hardships that Peter and Paul (and Gardiner) underwent—can you and I feel God’s abounding and overwhelming grace?  

Questions to Ponder

Reflect on some (or all) of the following questions:

Reading 1: In Peter’s rescue from prison, how important was “prayer by the Church was fervently being made to God on his behalf”? What is Luke telling us about praying for each other?

Reading 2: Paul writes: “The Lord stood by me and gave me strength.” Have I experienced the Lord’s presence and strength in my life? If so, when and what was the outcome of experiencing his presence?

Gospel: How do I respond to Jesus’ question: “Who do you say that I am”?

The Creed

Prayer of the Faithful

L: In company with Sts Peter and Paul, who prayed for all the churches of God, let us confidently turn to the Father with our prayers: Lord, hear our prayer.

R: For the Church: that we, like Peter and Paul, may allow God to transform us more and more into the image of Christ, we pray… 

R: For Pope Leo XIV, Peter’s successor: that he may be our rock of faith and the sign of unity in the Church, we pray…

R: For the world: that God may bring an end to violence and deepen the desire for peace in the hearts of all people, we pray…

R: For all missionaries and educators of the faith: that they may experience Christ standing by them and guiding their teaching, we pray…

R: For all who are persecuted for their faith, especially those who are facing torture or death: that they may experience Christ with them in their suffering and remain faithful witnesses of God, we pray…

R: For all of us: that God may draw us into a deeper relationship with him and greater trust on him who loves us without limit, we pray…

L: God of saints and sinners, by the power of the Holy Spirit Peter and Paul bore courageous witness to the death and resurrection of your Son. Hear our prayer for your blessings, that we may be more faithful witnesses to the truth of the Gospel. Through Christ our Lord. 

A: Amen.

SPIRITUAL COMMUNION

The Lord’s Prayer 

Spiritual Communion 

A: Jesus, I know and believe in your real presence in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist. It is you I desire to love and receive above all things. As I am unable to receive your sacramental presence now, come and be with me in heart and soul. Let my entire self be united with you as I welcome you again and know your loving embrace. Amen.

Post Spiritual Communion Reflection

Lord, 

your angel rescued Peter,

secured by double chains and sleeping between two soldiers.

Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan,

immigrants, the starving, the unhoused,

those suffering from discrimination and violence

need to be rescued by your angels.

Lord, rescue them.

And help us remember 

that you are our constant companion

and always give us the strength

we need to finish the mission you entrust to us.

CONCLUDING RITE

Concluding Prayer

L: Gracious God, through Saints Peter and Paul you spread faith in Jesus Christ throughout the world. Continue to strengthen our faith. May our lives be a living Gospel for all to hear.

Through Christ our Lord.

A: Amen.

Blessing

L: The Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and lead us to everlasting life.

A: Amen.

L: Go in the peace of Christ.

A: Thanks be to God.

Conclude with a hymn. For instance:

Go Make Of All Disciples

We Are Many Parts

The Body and Blood of Christ

I HAVE NOTHING MORE TO GIVE YOU

INTRODUCTORY RITES

Gather as a family/ community; create an environment appropriate for prayer (dress appropriately - switch off your phones...). 

We are conscious that Christ is present not only in the Blessed Sacrament but also in the Scriptures and in our hearts. Even when we are on our own, we remain part of the Body of Christ.

Place lighted candles, a crucifix, and the Bible on a covered table. These remind us of the sacredness of our time of prayer and could help us feel connected with our local worshipping communities.

You may sing or play an appropriate hymn. For instance:

Come On and Celebrate

I Love the Thrill

The Sign of the Cross

Greeting and Introductory Words

L: The Lord invites us to the table of his Word: let us bless him for his goodness.

A: Blessed be God forever.

L: We celebrate the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ… a celebration of “giving”. Today’s readings focus on this aspect of “giving”. While we celebrate and thank the Lord for his “giving” of himself to us, we pray that we may give of ourselves to him and his people.

Penitential Rite

L: For our failure to give, we ask the Lord to pardon us.

        Pause

L: Lord Jesus, you multiplied bread to feed the hungry crowd:

Lord, have mercy. 

A: Lord, have mercy.

L: Lord Jesus, you satiated the thirst of the Samaritan woman: 

Christ, have mercy.

A: Christ, have mercy.

L: Lord Jesus, you feed us with your body and blood:

Lord, have mercy.

A: Lord, have mercy.

L: May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins,

and bring us to everlasting life.

A: Amen.

Gloria

 

Opening Prayer

L: You have blessed all generations, O God most high, in Jesus, our compassionate Saviour. Through him you invite us to your kingdom, welcome us to your table, and nourish us in abundance. Teach us to imitate your unfailing kindness and to build up Christ’s body, the Church, by generously handing on to others the gifts we have received from you.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

God for ever and ever. 

A: Amen.

THE LITURGY OF THE WORD

Readings

The readings are those assigned for the day in the Lectionary.

Preferably use a Bible/ Lectionary for reading.

Liturgical Readings for the Body and Blood of Christ

Reading 1    Genesis 14:18-20

Psalm         Psalm 110:1, 2, 3, 4 

Response You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek. 

                Option 1 or Option 2 or Option 3

Reading 2 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

Acclamation

                        Alleluia, alleluia.

                        I am the living bread that came down from heaven, says the Lord;

                        whoever eats this bread will live forever.

                  Acclamation

Gospel         Luke 9:11b-17    

 

Reflection on the Readings

 

Use one of the following ways to reflect on the readings.

Lectio Divina

Imagine you are one of the crowd. What are your thoughts and feelings when you 

- hear the disciples ask Jesus to “dismiss the crowd…”?

- hear Jesus tell them to “give them some food yourselves”?

- witness the miraculous multiplication of the loaves and fish?

Sunday Snippets

In 1967, Robert Sténuit—the Belgian underwater archaeologist—discovered the wreck of the Spanish Armada ship, the Girona, off the coast of Ireland. Among the many treasures he recovered was a wedding ring. The top of the ring had a hand holding a heart; the band had these words etched on it: “no tengo mas que darte” (I have nothing more to give you).

The same image and words could be used to describe today’s Feast of the Body and Blood of Jesus. The feast (and every Eucharist) is Jesus symbolically saying to us: “I have nothing more to give you.” 

There are three aspects to today’s celebration: self-gift; sacrifice; service.

Self-gift: Abram gives Melchizedek a tenth of everything he has. Jesus challenges the apostles: “Give the people something to eat yourselves.” All they have is five loaves and two fish. For Jesus, this meagre contribution is enough to satiate the hunger of the five thousand with enough left over to feed another crowd. Luke does not say that Jesus multiplies the loaves and fish; Luke uses words associated with the Eucharist in narrating the miracle! In the second reading, Paul describes Jesus’ total self-gift of his body and blood at the Last Supper; he has nothing more to give us. 

Sacrifice: At the Last Supper, Jesus symbolically and sacramentally gave himself to his apostles. On Calvary, he broke his body and shed his blood for his people; Jesus could truly say: “I have nothing more to give you.”

Service: At the Last Supper, Jesus did more than break bread and share the cup; he washed the feet of his disciples. In his gospel, St John does not have the institution narrative; he has a description of Jesus washing his disciples’ feet. For John, the towel and basin are Eucharistic symbols. 

Self-gift, sacrifice, service! This is what we celebrate. This is our challenge.

Am I willing to give myself for others? What are the “five loaves and two fish” I am called to share with others? How can I be body broken and blood shed for others? In what way will I serve and love others in the week ahead?

May we relive Jesus’ self-gift, sacrifice and service so that we too can say: “I have nothing more to give you.”  

Questions to Ponder

Reflect on some (or all) of the following questions:

Reading 1: Reflect on Abram’s offering to Melchizedek.

Reading 2: What do I believe Jesus meant when he said, “do this in remembrance of me”? To what does “this” refer?

Gospel: How do I respond to the needs of people: dismiss them or stretch myself (“unless we ourselves go and buy food”) or share my resources with them?

The Creed

Prayer of the Faithful

L: As a meal brings a family together and is a sign of unity and solidarity, so too we are gathered in unity. As one family, we bring our needs to God our Father and pray: Lord, hear our prayer.

R: For the Church: that we will live as a Eucharistic people, giving and sharing ourselves, as Christ continually does for us, we pray… 

R: For the world: that God may protect all who are caught in warfare or violence, bring an end to armed conflicts, and give strength to all who are working for peace, we pray…

R: For all priests: that they may be renewed, strengthened, and drawn closer to God and God’s people as they celebrate the Eucharist, we pray…

R: For all who hunger for meaning and truth: that our witness may help them find Christ who will fulfil the longings of their hearts, we pray…

R: For healing: that God may restore the sick to health and remove the divisions in the human family, we pray…

R: For all of us: that through our sharing, physically or spiritually, in the Eucharist, we may be strengthened to give ourselves in loving service, we pray…

L: God our Father, your Son did not leave us orphans, but remains in and with us in his body and blood. Guide us through this vast and terrible corona desert, and let us bring your love to everyone. Through Christ our Lord. 

A: Amen.

SPIRITUAL COMMUNION

The Lord’s Prayer 

Spiritual Communion 

A: Jesus, I know and believe in your real presence in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist. It is you I desire to love and receive above all things. As I am unable to receive your sacramental presence now, come and be with me in heart and soul. Let my entire self be united with you as I welcome you again and know your loving embrace. Amen.

Post Spiritual Communion Reflection

Suzanne Toolan wrote the hymn I Am the Bread of Life during a free class! She says: “Its popularity stems from its message of the resurrection, which is so strong in these words of Jesus. We so need that message of hope.” We do!

Watch I Am the Bread of Life

or pray

Lord,

you call us all:

priest and penitent,

the activists and the pacifists,

the homeless and those in high-rises,

immigrants and border officials,

Africans, Americans, Asians, Europeans.

You come to us and

because we are all broken

you broke and gave yourself to us.

Loaves and fishes; body and blood.

You are love in abundance.

Lord,

help me to do “this” in memory of you.

CONCLUDING RITE

Concluding Prayer

L: Lord our God, your beloved Son gave his body and shed his blood out of love. Fill us with his Spirit, that we may live for you and for one another with a generous, self-forgetting love that unites all, loves all, serves all.

Through Christ our Lord.

A: Amen.

Blessing

L: The Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and lead us to everlasting life.

A: Amen.

L: Go in the peace of Christ.

A: Thanks be to God.

Conclude with a hymn. For instance:

One Bread, One Body

We Are Many Parts

The Holy Trinity

A PRACTICAL MYSTERY

INTRODUCTORY RITES

Gather as a family/ community; create an environment appropriate for prayer (dress appropriately - switch off your phones...). 

We are conscious that Christ is present not only in the Blessed Sacrament but also in the Scriptures and in our hearts. Even when we are on our own, we remain part of the Body of Christ.

Place lighted candles, a crucifix, and the Bible on a covered table. These remind us of the sacredness of our time of prayer and could help us feel connected with our local worshipping communities.

You may sing or play an appropriate hymn. For instance:

(Sing Praises To) The Living God

The Sign of the Cross

Greeting and Introductory Words

L: The Lord invites us to the table of his Word: let us bless him for his goodness.

A: Blessed be God forever.

L: Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity. We celebrate the loving communion of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 

We pray that we may build communion in our families, in our communities, in our parish, and in our society.

Penitential Rite

L: For the times we have not built communion, and have been forces of division, let us ask the Lord for pardon.

        Pause

L: Lord Jesus, you revealed to us a Father who cares deeply for us:

Lord, have mercy. 

A: Lord, have mercy.

L: Lord Jesus, you loved us to the extent of giving your life for us: 

Christ, have mercy.

A: Christ, have mercy.

L: Lord Jesus, you pour out on us the Spirit of unity and love:

Lord, have mercy.

A: Lord, have mercy.

L: May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins,

and bring us to everlasting life.

A: Amen.

Gloria

 

Opening Prayer

L: O God, your name is veiled in mystery, yet we dare to call you Father; your Son was begotten before all ages, yet is born among us in time; your Holy Spirit fills the whole creation, yet is poured forth now into our hearts. Draw us more deeply into your divine life.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

God for ever and ever. 

A: Amen.

THE LITURGY OF THE WORD

Readings

The readings are those assigned for the day in the Lectionary.

Preferably use a Bible/ Lectionary for reading.

Liturgical Readings for Trinity Sunday

Reading 1    Proverbs 8:22-31

Psalm         Psalm 8:4-5, 6-7, 8-9 

Response O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth! 

                Option 1 or Option 2

Reading 2 Romans 5:1-5

Acclamation

                        Alleluia, alleluia.

                        Glory to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit;

                        to God who is, who was, and who is to come.

                  Acclamation

Gospel         John 16:12-15    

 

Reflection on the Readings

 

Use one of the following ways to reflect on the readings.

Lectio Divina

Be with the disciples in the Upper Room when Jesus talks to them about the relationship between him, his Father, and the Spirit. What are your thoughts and feelings?

Sunday Snippets

The philosopher Immanuel Kant wrote: “The doctrine of the Trinity provides absolutely nothing of practical value, even if one claims to understand it.”

Many agree with Kant! The math (1+1+1=3) is wrong; philosophers/theologians use a term like “consubstantial” to explain it; the doctrine is beyond our understanding; it is a mystery. but, Kant got it wrong! The doctrine is a “practical mystery” with radical consequences for our life. 

The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are unique and distinct. To help us understand that uniqueness, God revealed three separate functions of the three persons—the Father creates; the Son reconciles and redeems; and the Spirit guides and teaches. 

These three unique and distinct persons live in communion; they form a community; God is a family! Today’s gospel text indicates the close relationship they share: “the Spirit will guide you to all truth… he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine.” An intimate and magnificent collaboration! The Greek Fathers use the word perichoresis to describe this loving communion of the Trinity; the word may be defined as a “dancing together”. God does not exist in solitary individualism but in a community of love and sharing.

What are the implications of the doctrine of the Trinity for us?

Created in the image and likeness of a Trinitarian God, we have qualities like God! 

First, we are unique individuals; and we want to be accepted thus. 

Second, we yearn to live in community/communion. We achieve this communion not by negating/denying differences, but by respecting and nurturing our diversity, and blending our differences.

Third, like the Father, we are called to be productive/creative, and to contribute to the building of our family, church, society, nation; like the Son, we are called to reconcile and to mend what is broken; like the Spirit, it is our task to dispel ignorance and to guide. 

God is God only in a Trinitarian relationship; so too we can be fully human only in relationship: a vertical relationship with God and a horizontal relationship with people and creation.

How am I going to live the doctrine of the Trinity?

Questions to Ponder

Reflect on some (or all) of the following questions:

Reading 1: Why did God create humans with wisdom? What responsibility do humans/I have to use wisdom to keep the earth “from transgressing God’s commands” in the crises we face? 

Reading 2: “The love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit.” How do I manifest that love?

Gospel: Consider the loving relationship that exists between the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. How do I imitate the example of the Trinity in my relationships?

The Creed

Prayer of the Faithful

L: Through the Son, we come to the Father with prayers inspired by the Spirit, and pray: Lord, hear our prayer.

R: For the Church: that we may experience the length, breadth, and depth of God’s love that has been poured out into our hearts so that we may be transformed and fully live as children of God, we pray… 

R: For the world: that God may bring an end to violence, give leaders a new understanding of the dignity of all life, and deepen the desire for peace in their hearts, we pray…

R: For those isolated from God and the human family: that they may experience welcome and acceptance, we pray…

R: For families and communities: that the life and love of the Trinity may inspire us to grow in our relationships, to share our lives, and to enrich the lives of those to whom we are committed, we pray…

R: For a deeper appreciation of the gift of nature: that we may see in the heavens, on the earth, and in the sea the handiwork of God and delight in God’s gifts to us, we pray…

R: For all of us: that we may imitate our Trinitarian God in cherishing our uniqueness and building communion, we pray…

L: Ever-loving and One God, we know and love you as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Make us and our communities grow in this knowledge and love. Through Christ our Lord. 

A: Amen.

SPIRITUAL COMMUNION

The Lord’s Prayer 

Spiritual Communion 

A: Jesus, I know and believe in your real presence in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist. It is you I desire to love and receive above all things. As I am unable to receive your sacramental presence now, come and be with me in heart and soul. Let my entire self be united with you as I welcome you again and know your loving embrace. Amen.

Post Spiritual Communion Reflection

The hymn This World You Have Made celebrates God’s love for us made manifest in his creation, which includes each one of us! We rejoice in the beauty of God’s and our world and thank him for creating it and us.

Watch This World You Have Made

or pray

Lord, 

we believe you are one God: Father, Son, and Spirit;

you are three unique persons 

with absolute equality and absolute unity.

Thus, you are, for us, 

the model towards which we strive as a community: 

free individuals with total equality in complete unity.

Help us to recognize and realize

that each of us is a unique individual

equal in dignity 

and called to live in communion with other persons 

in mutual love.

CONCLUDING RITE

Concluding Prayer

L: Our One God, you are a communion of three persons and have shared your one love with us. Help us to respond to your goodness through Jesus who loved us totally, and the Spirit poured into our hearts. Inspire us to love our brothers and sisters, to share with them and to be one with them.

Through Christ our Lord.

A: Amen.

Blessing

L: The Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and lead us to everlasting life.

A: Amen.

L: Go in the peace of Christ.

A: Thanks be to God.

Conclude with a hymn. For instance:

Bless the Lord, O My Soul

Praise the Father, Praise the Son

Pentecost Sunday

PICKED UP AND CARRIED BY “SOMEONE”

INTRODUCTORY RITES

Gather as a family/ community; create an environment appropriate for prayer (dress appropriately - switch off your phones...). 

We are conscious that Christ is present not only in the Blessed Sacrament but also in the Scriptures and in our hearts. Even when we are on our own, we remain part of the Body of Christ.

Place lighted candles, a crucifix, and the Bible on a covered table. These remind us of the sacredness of our time of prayer and could help us feel connected with our local worshipping communities.

You may sing or play an appropriate hymn. For instance:

Veni Creator Spiritus

Spirit of the Living God

The Sign of the Cross

Greeting and Introductory Words

L: The Lord invites us to the table of his Word: let us bless him for his goodness.

A: Blessed be God forever.

L: We celebrate the Solemnity of Pentecost today: the descent of the Spirit on Mary and the Apostles. We celebrate the birth of the Church, our birthday.

We pray that we may open ourselves to the working of the Spirit, and allow him to transform us. We ask Mary, who was with the Apostles at the birth of the Church, to continue to be with us and to intercede for us.

Penitential Rite

L: For our failure to heed the promptings of the Spirit, we ask the Lord’s pardon.

        Pause

L: Lord Jesus, you give us the Spirit who removes fear: 

Lord, have mercy. 

A: Lord, have mercy.

L: Lord Jesus, you give us the Spirit who forgives and heals:

Christ, have mercy.

A: Christ, have mercy.

L: Lord Jesus, your give us the Spirit who renews us in your love:

Lord, have mercy.

A: Lord, have mercy.

L: May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins,

and bring us to everlasting life.

A: Amen.

Gloria

 

Opening Prayer

L: Almighty and ever-living God, grant that the people once scattered over the face of the earth and divided by many tongues may be gathered by your Spirit to confess your name with a single voice. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. 

A: Amen.

THE LITURGY OF THE WORD

Readings

The readings are those assigned for the day in the Lectionary.

Preferably use a Bible/ Lectionary for reading.

Liturgical Readings for Pentecost Sunday

Reading 1    Acts 2:1-11

Psalm         Psalm 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34 

Response Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth. 

                Option 1 or Option 2 or Option 3 

Reading 2 1 Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13 or Romans 8:8-17

Acclamation

                        Alleluia, alleluia.

                        Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful

                        and kindle in them the fire of your love.

                  Acclamation

Gospel         John 20:19-23 or John 14:15-16, 23b-26    

 

Reflection on the Readings

 

Use one of the following ways to reflect on the readings.

Lectio Divina

Be with the disciples in that upper room behind locked doors. Become aware of your fears and anxieties. Then become aware of the Lord’s presence in your midst and hear him say: “Peace be with you.” Stay with your thoughts and feelings.

Sunday Snippets

In a major football game, a player’s performance exceeded the expectations of his mates and coach. In the last five minutes of the game, with the score against his team, he scored two goals! He ran faster and dribbled better than he had ever done. In the locker room, his coach said: “I didn’t know you had it in you.” He replied: “I didn’t either! I was picked up and carried by something outside myself.”

Pentecost is when the apostles “were picked up and carried by someone outside themselves”! The Holy Spirit empowered and transformed them!

The Spirit filled them with enthusiasm (en-theos: which means ‘God within’). Armed with the power of this ‘God within’, they moved out of the Upper Room to proclaim the Good News of the Resurrection. Recall Peter’s speech: “This man… you killed, using lawless men to crucify him. But God raised him up.” 

The Spirit gave them the gifts they needed to proclaim the Good News: belief in the truth; the courage to proclaim it; the willingness/ ability to reach out to people of other languages and persuasions.

The Spirit formed them into one community. The verses after today’s first reading: “All who believed were together and had all things in common.” This in a group which was jostling for position and power!

The same Spirit empowers and transforms us. 

The Spirit empowers us to proclaim that God is our Father, and therefore beyond the tangible differences of region, language, culture, and social status, we are one family. 

The Spirit gives us the gifts and resources we need (1 Corinthians 12:4-11). We need to believe and understand that the Spirit works differently in different people… and give space for that to happen; we ought to use our gifts to build up the church.

The Spirit forms us into one family.

Will I let the Spirit pick me up and carry me… to go beyond my natural strengths and abilities?

What are the gifts that the Spirit gives me, and how will I use it to proclaim Jesus and to build up his kingdom on earth?

Questions to Ponder

Reflect on some (or all) of the following questions:

Reading 1: Everyone understood in his/ her own language what the apostles were saying. If/ when I am open to the Holy Spirit, would I have a deeper understanding of all that I hear? Am I open to “God’s surprises” or am I closed and fearful before the newness of the Holy Spirit? 

Reading 2: What gifts has the Spirit given me and for what have they been given to me? How do I use the gifts I have?

Gospel: The disciples were a transformed group after the Spirit’s arrival. Has the coming of the Spirit transformed me? Do I allow the Spirit to push me beyond my comfort zone?

The Creed

Prayer of the Faithful

L: God endows us with the gift of his own life by imparting the Holy Spirit. Let us come to him, alive and free in the divine presence, and pray: Lord, hear our prayer.

R: For the Church: that the Spirit may empower us to follow Christ and bring Good News to all are burdened or who have lost hope, we pray… 

R: For the world: that God may heal the divisions between women and men, poor and rich, and every race so that we may work together for the good of every person and the fulfilment of God’s plan, we pray…

R: For peace: that God may heal the physical and mental wounds of all who have experienced violence and console all who are grieving the death of a loved one, we pray…

R: For all who are ill: that God’s Spirit of healing may touch them, strengthen their minds, bodies, and spirits, and restore them to wholeness, we pray…

R: For all who are overwhelmed by life: that, through the Spirit of hope, they may find new reasons to live this day and be gifted with a vision of all that could be tomorrow, we pray…

R: For ourselves: that we may recognize and use the gifts that God has given us for others and for the fulfilment of his mission, we pray…

L: Father all-powerful, send your Spirit on each of us. Let him set us afire with his love and make all your people one body and one spirit. Through Christ our Lord. 

A: Amen.

SPIRITUAL COMMUNION

The Lord’s Prayer 

Spiritual Communion 

A: Jesus, I know and believe in your real presence in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist. It is you I desire to love and receive above all things. As I am unable to receive your sacramental presence now, come and be with me in heart and soul. Let my entire self be united with you as I welcome you again and know your loving embrace. Amen.

Post Spiritual Communion Reflection

John Foley’s hymn, One Bread One Body, celebrates our oneness in Christ, a oneness wrought by the Holy Spirit. Regardless of our birth or earthly status, we are equal in God’s eyes. We pray that we may truly be one bread and one body.

Watch One Bread One Body

or pray

Fear locked the door.

But real love entered in anyway,

bringing (within its wounds) God’s peace.

This peace went all around!

Lord, you breathed upon your disciples 

and sent them everywhere, to all the earth,

out of love, not out of fear.

Come, Holy Spirit of life and love, to us, 

and send us out to all corners of creation.

May we experience your fruit:

love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity,

faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

May we, though many, be one body in Christ.

CONCLUDING RITE

Concluding Prayer

L: God our Father, the Holy Spirit has opened our hearts to understand the Word of your Son. May he give us the courage now to bring the Good News to the poor and to set one another free from all injustice and hardness of heart, that we may enjoy together your forgiveness, your joy, and your peace. Through Christ our Lord.

A: Amen.

Blessing

L: The Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and lead us to everlasting life.

A: Amen.

L: Go in the peace of Christ.

A: Thanks be to God.

Conclude with a hymn. For instance:

We are One in the Spirit

God’s Spirit is in My Heart