The Gift

“ O Holy Spirit, descend plentifully into my heart. Enlighten the dark corners of this neglected dwelling and scatter there Thy cheerful beams.” – St. Augustine

First Reading 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 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."

Resp. Psalm: Psalms 104:1, 24, 19-30, 31, 34

Second Reading: 1Cor. 12:3-7, 12-13

Therefore, I tell you that nobody speaking by the spirit of God says, "Jesus be accursed." And 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.

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 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."

Reflection:

By Ana Balla

A friend of mine helped me and asked, what do I know about the Holy Spirit? Since she is a dear friend so I honestly shared myself. The Holy Spirit is the third person in the Holy Trinity. He was given to us after Jesus ascended to heaven. The Solemnity of Pentecost is also the birthday of the Church. Instead of us giving our gifts to the celebrant, we were the ones receiving the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  I believe in His existence because I am feeling His presence in my life and I talk to Him in prayers. I ask the Holy Spirit's guidance in moments of uncertainty, in making big decisions, and pray for strength to keep on doing the right thing even in moments when it does not feel right.

 Prayer

Come Holy Spirit

You bring consolation when the human heart grieves & is tempted to despair.

Come Holy  Spirit  

In order to restore what is good in man and in the world.

Come and renewed the face of the earth.

Come Holy Spirit

You change the interior dryness of souls.

Transforming them into fertile fields of grace and holiness.

 Come Holy Spirit

You purify all that is unclean & all the disfigures man.

You heal even the deepest wounds of human existence.

Come Holy Spirit

What is hard you soften, what is frozen you warm.

What is wayward you set a new on the paths of salvation.

Come Holy Spirit 

To you the Church implore for all the gifts of love.

She unceasingly implores the peace and consolation

You alone can bring, by coming down in people's hearts.

She implores from you the happiness

which finds its complete realization only in God

The joy that no one will be able to take away.