Daily Readings - Sun Jun 09 2019
Acts
1When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place.2And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.3And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them.4And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.5Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven.6And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language.7And they were amazed and astonished, saying, "Are not all these who are speaking Galileans?8And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language?9Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome,11both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians--we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God."
First Reading - 1 Corinthians 12.3b-7, 12-13 or Romans 8.8-17
1 Corinthians
3Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says "Jesus is accursed!" and no one can say "Jesus is Lord" except in the Holy Spirit.4Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit;5and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord;6and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.7To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.12For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.13For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--Jews or Greeks, slaves or free--and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
Romans
8Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.9You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.10But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.11If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.12So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.13For 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.14For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.15For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!"16The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,17and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
Gospel - John 20.19-23 or John 14.15-16, 23b-26
John
19On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."20When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.21Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you."22And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.23If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld."
John
15"If you love me, you will keep my commandments.16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,23Jesus answered him, "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.24Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me.25"These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you.26But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all 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.