1st reading : Acts of the Apostles 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.”
Psalms 104:1.24.29-30.31.34.
Bless the LORD, my soul! LORD, my God, you are great indeed! You are clothed with majesty and glory,
How varied are your works, LORD! In wisdom you have wrought them all; the earth is full of your creatures.
When you hide your face, they are lost. When you take away their breath, they perish and return to the dust from which they came.
When you send forth your breath, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth.
May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD be glad in these works!
May my theme be pleasing to God; I will rejoice in the LORD.
2nd reading : Letter to the Galatians 5:16-25.
I say, then: live by the Spirit and you will certainly not gratify the desire of the flesh.
For the flesh has desires against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you may not do what you want.
But if you are guided by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
Now the works of the flesh are obvious: immorality, impurity, licentiousness,
idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, rivalry, jealousy, outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness, dissensions, factions,
occasions of envy, drinking bouts, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness,
gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
Now those who belong to Christ (Jesus) have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires.
If we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 15:26-27.16:12-15.
When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me.
And you also testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.
I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now.
But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming.
He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.
Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.
Sermons Thoughts….Coming Soon
Todays readings are full of symbols and images.
We see fire, strong wind and the spirit of god inspiring the disciples of Jesus today.
They speak in different languages and it is all well listened by many.
This gives us some special God concepts.
At first we have a new “human – Concept”. In the Acts we come across with a “large crowd”. For Jews they were Gentiles;
for Romans they were foreigners;
for a normal observer they were large crowd.
But through the mediation of the Holy Spirit,
They were united to one.
This unity is a special one.
They were still foreigners;
They spoke still different languages;
They had different cultures.
But the Message of Jesus gave them a “UNITY”.
With this changed “human-concept” the concept of God too changed.
If the people of Israel considered God as their private heritage,
this is now changed with Jesus and His Spirit.
God is now universal, he is “catholic”, yes for all.
For all the people on this earth.
This is the new testament.
This is what Jesus asked for, to proclaim him as the “universal God”.
The old barriers are no more there.
It is not cultures, languages and heritages that are important.
But the guiding spirit.
That is from Jesus.
That is Jesus.
Pentacost was the feast of Weeks, a closing feast of the harvest time.
Now it is a new harvest time.
We are in the field to spread the Word and Works of God.
We are in this world to proclaim his special Love that
embodied as Jesus.
Let this Feast be a special feast of the Spirit.
Let us pray for the uniting spirit, even in much diversity.
He can unite us in his love.
Let it be our Prayer for the day. Amen
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