PENTECOST
MOTIVATION
Hallelujah!
The Spirit of the Lord fills the earth!
The Church wakes up bathed in light and celebration.
The peoples are united in one Father. The proclamation of the Good News travels the streets and highways. In every language the name of God, holy and endearing, is proclaimed. His deeds of salvation and mercy for all are proclaimed.
Hallelujah!
The Holy Spirit fills hearts!
There is no longer room for fear or sadness; the presence of the Risen Lord and of the Spirit crying out in us with ineffable groanings keep us in the certainty of the Father's infinite Love.
Hallelujah!
The Spirit floods us with his gifts!
Our life overflows with gratitude, and we set out on mission.
From the Gospel of John 20,19-23
Now in the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the disciples were in a house, and the doors were locked for fear of the Jews. And at this Jesus came in and stood in the midst and said to them:
"Peace be with you.
And saying this, he showed them his hands and his side. And the disciples were overjoyed to see the Lord. Jesus repeated:
"Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even 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, they are forgiven; whose sins you retain, they are retained".
PRAYERFUL COMMENTARY
With the Solemnity of Pentecost, we end the Easter season.
It is like a return to the beginning: the Risen One appears among His own. He gives them His peace without reproach. He shows them the scars of his Passion, and sends them into the world in the same way as the Father sent the Son.
The disciples do not intervene, they do not speak, they do not impede. They only welcome.
They feel the presence of the Risen One who abides by the effects of His comfort and peace.
And what was fear and cowardice, becomes a way and a mission thanks to the Peace of the Lord and the power of his Holy Spirit.
"Receive the Holy Spirit"
Today as yesterday, the Lord continues to breathe on His Church the gift of the Spirit, the promise of the Father. We too can receive Him in our fears and cowardice, be docile to His action, experience His comfort.
Holy Spirit, Spirit of Love! Flood the Church with your gifts and make us witnesses of the Risen Christ in the midst of the world.
PRAYER (= 2 POSSIBILITIES: The sequence or sentence that follows)
SEQUENCE
Come, divine Spirit,
send down your light from heaven.
Loving father of the poor;
gift, in your splendid gifts;
light that penetrates souls;
source of the greatest consolation.
Come, sweet guest of the soul,
rest from our efforts,
respite from hard work,
breeze in the hours of fire,
joy that wipes away tears
and comforts in mourning.
It goes deep into the soul,
divine light, and enrich us.
Look at the emptiness of man,
if you are lacking inside;
look at the power of sin,
when you don't send your breath.
Water the land in drought,
heals the sick heart,
washes away stains, infuses
heat of life in the ice,
tames the indomitable spirit,
guides the one who twists the path.
Distribute your seven gifts,
according to the faith of your servants;
for your goodness and grace,
give the effort its merit;
saves the one who seeks to save himself
and give us your everlasting joy.
.................................................................................
In what good company you have left us, Lord;
in the best: your Holy Spirit of Love,
the promise of the Father!
Today I want to open myself to your action;
make my existence not a closed door,
but a free space for the Spirit to work on me.
Not a receptacle full of fears and cowardice,
but a courageous space of strength,
and consistency in witnessing.
It was convenient for You to finish
your way among us, Jesus,
so that your Holy Spirit
flood our world with his gifts.
Divine Spirit, Spirit of Love,
make us faithful followers of Christ
and heralds of his Good News
in the smallness of mud and fire
which are our lives.
Amen! Hallelujah!
Ana María Díaz, cm
PENTECOST SUNDAY
MOTIVATION
Hallelujah!
The Spirit of the Lord fills the earth!
The Church wakes up today bathed in light and celebration.
Peoples become brothers and sisters in the embrace in the One Father. The announcement of the Good News goes through the streets and roads. In all languages, the name of God is proclaimed holy and endearing. His gestures of salvation and mercy for all are announced everywhere.
Hallelujah!
The Holy Spirit fills our hearts!
There is no longer room for fear or sadness; the presence of the Risen Lord and the Spirit that cries out in us with ineffable groans keep us in the certainty of the infinite Love of the Father.
Hallelujah!
The Spirit fills us with his gifts!
Our life overflows with gratitude, and we set out, eager, on mission paths.
From the Gospel of John 20:19-23
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and saidPeace be with you! After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone's sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven".
REFLECTION
With the Solemnity of Pentecost, we finish the Easter season.
It is like a return to the beginning: The Risen One appears among his own. He gives them His peace without any reproach. He shows them the scars of His Passion, and sends them to the world in the same way that the Father sent the Son.
The disciples do not intervene, do not speak; they just receive, welcome.
By the effects of His consolation and His peace, they feel the presence of the Risen One who remains with them.
And what was fear and cowardice, becomes journeying and mission, thanks to the Peace of the Lord and the strength of his Holy Spirit.
"Receive the Holy Spirit
Today as yesterday, the Lord continues to breathe on his Church the gift of the Spirit, the promise of the Father. We can also receive him in our fears and cowardice, be docile to His action, and experience His comfort.
Holy Spirit, Spirit of Love! Flood the Church with your gifts and make us witnesses to the Risen Christ in the midst of the world.
PRAYER (2 OPTIONS: Either the Sequence or the prayer that follows here below)
SEQUENCE
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 immost 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!
.................................................................................
In what a great company you have left us, Lord:
your Holy Spirit of Love,
the promise of the Father!
Today, I want to open myself to his action;
make my existence, not a closed door,
but a free space for the Spirit to work in me.
Not a receptacle full of fears and cowardice,
but a brave space of strength,
and of coherence in witnessing.
It was fitting that You should complete
your way among us, Jesus,
so that your Holy Spirit
may flood our world with His gifts.
Divine Spirit, Spirit of Love,
make us faithful followers of Christ
and announcers of his Good News
in the littleness of mud and fire
that our lives are. Amen!
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Ana María Díaz, cm
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