Daily Readings - Sun Jun 09 2019

¹And when the days of Pentecost were completed, they were all together in the same place²And suddenly, there came a sound from heaven, like that of a wind approaching violently, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting³And there appeared to them separate tongues, as if of fire, which settled upon each one of them⁴And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. And they began to speak in various languages, just as the Holy Spirit bestowed eloquence to them⁵Now there were Jews staying in Jerusalem, pious men from every nation that is under heaven⁶And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together and was confused in mind, because each one was listening to them speaking in his own language⁷Then all were astonished, and they wondered, saying: "Behold, are not all of these who are speaking Galileans⁸And how is it that we have each heard them in our own language, into which we were born⁹Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and those who inhabit Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia¹⁰Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya which are around Cyrene, and new arrivals of the Romans¹¹likewise Jews and new converts, Cretans and Arabs: we have heard them speaking in our own languages the mighty deeds of God.

First Reading - 1 Corinthians 12.3b-7, 12-13 or Romans 8.8-17

1 Corinthians

Chapter 12

³Because of this, I would have you know that no one speaking in the Spirit of God utters a curse against Jesus. And no one is able to say that Jesus is Lord, except in the Holy Spirit⁴Truly, there are diverse graces, but the same Spirit⁵And there are diverse ministries, but the same Lord⁶And there are diverse works, but the same God, who works everything in everyone⁷However, the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one toward what is beneficial¹²For 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 Christ¹³And 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

Romans

Chapter 8

⁸So those who are in the flesh are not able to please God⁹And you are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, if it is true that the Spirit of God lives within you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to him¹⁰But if Christ is within you, then the body is indeed dead, concerning sin, but the spirit truly lives, because of justification¹¹But if the Spirit of him who raised up Jesus from the dead lives within you, then he who raised up Jesus Christ from the dead shall also enliven your mortal bodies, by means of his Spirit living within you¹²Therefore, brothers, we are not debtors to the flesh, so as to live according to the flesh¹³For if you live according to the flesh, you will die. But if, by the Spirit, you mortify the deeds of the flesh, you shall live¹⁴For all those who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God¹⁵And you have not received, again, a spirit of servitude in fear, but you have received the Spirit of the adoption of sons, in whom we cry out: "Abba, Father!¹⁶For the Spirit himself renders testimony to our spirit that we are the sons of God¹⁷But if we are sons, then we are also heirs: certainly heirs of God, but also co-heirs with Christ, yet in such a way that, if we suffer with him, we shall also be glorified with him

Gospel - John 20.19-23 or John 14.15-16, 23b-26

John

Chapter 20

¹⁹Then, when it was late on the same day, on the first of the Sabbaths, and the doors were closed where the disciples were gathered, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst, and he said to them: "Peace to you.²⁰And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and side. And the disciples were gladdened when they saw the Lord²¹Therefore, he said to them again: "Peace to you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.²²When he had said this, he breathed on them. And he said to them: "Receive the Holy Spirit²³Those whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them, and those whose sins you shall retain, they are retained.

John

Chapter 14

¹⁵If you love me, keep my commandments¹⁶And I will ask the Father, and he will give another Advocate to you, so that he may abide with you for eternity²³Jesus responded and said to him: "If anyone loves me, he shall keep my word. And my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and we will make our dwelling place with him²⁴Whoever does not love me, does not keep not my words. And the word that you have heard is not of me, but it is of the Father who sent me²⁵These things I have spoken to you, while abiding with you²⁶But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will suggest to you everything whatsoever that I have said to you

Sermon

In today's readings, we encounter the transformative power of the Holy Spirit. The first reading from Acts 2.1-11 describes the Pentecost event, where the Holy Spirit descends upon the apostles, enabling them to speak in various languages. This moment signifies the church's universal mission, breaking down barriers and uniting people across nations. The second reading from 1 Corinthians 12.3b-7, 12-13 emphasizes the unity in diversity through the Holy Spirit, likening the church to a body with many parts working together in harmony. The Gospel, John 20.19-23, shows Jesus sending the disciples out, breathing the Holy Spirit upon them to forgive sins, underscoring the Spirit's role in mission and reconciliation. These readings are set in pivotal moments: Pentecost, the early church's diversity, and the post-resurrection mission. They highlight the Holy Spirit's role in empowerment, unity, and mission. The Spirit's outpouring at Pentecost launched the church's evangelistic mission, while in Corinth, it wove together diverse gifts into one body. In John, the Spirit equips the disciples for their mission, reflecting Jesus' own mission from the Father. In our daily lives, the Holy Spirit calls us to embrace our unique roles within the body of Christ, using our diverse gifts to serve and unite others. Just as the apostles were empowered to transcend language barriers, we too can overcome divisions through the Spirit. Let us seek the Holy Spirit's guidance to live as one body, fostering unity and reconciliation in our communities. The moral lesson is clear: the Holy Spirit equips us to fulfill our mission, bringing peace and forgiveness to a world in need.