Pentecost Sunday

 

Opening Prayer

Lord

You gave us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with peace and joy.

May we learn to shed judgment and pride and love like YOU love.

May we work to see past the things of this world that can blind us.

May we not settle for mediocrity and work for justice,

Let us breathe in the Spirit of peace and joy!!!

Journal/Reflection Questions

Acts 2:1-11

• Identify how the disciples are before and after the Holy Spirit descends upon them. What is significant about this change?
• What do you consider to be a “mighty act of God”?

 

1Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13

• Draw a picture identifying different gifts people have in the shape of a body/person.
• Consider how each part of your body, each organ, etc. has a specific purpose. How does this relate to our world today?

 

John 20:19-23

• Where else in the scriptures do we read, God breathed on them? What is the significance of this?  How do these readings correlate?
• What were the first words Jesus said to his disciples when he returned to them? Why do you think He chose those words?  And why do you think He said them twice?

 

General Questions for Journaling

• On a scale of 1-10, how often do you call on the Holy Spirit in a day?
• When you do call on the Holy Spirit, what do you ask for or need?
• How is your life changed by the presence of the Holy Spirit?
• What exactly do we celebrate on Pentecost?
• What is the common language of today? Is it verbal?
• Name 10 gifts you have and how they benefit others.
• No gift is insignificant because it was given by God for a purpose. What is something you feel is insignificant about you?  How can you change your thinking to turn the negative thing into something positive?

Closing Prayer

Leader:  Holy Spirit, come…

ALL:  make our faith like a blazing fire!

Leader:  Holy Spirit, come…

ALL:  make our joy overflow like a raging waterfall!

Leader:  Holy Spirit, come…

ALL:  make your love spread like fierce wind!

Leader:  Holy Spirit, come…

ALL:  make your peace cover us like a dense fog!

Leader:  Come, Holy Spirit, come…

ALL:  ignite the fire of your love in our lives!

Challenge for the Week:   The sacrament of Confirmation in the Catholic Church is traced back to this celebration of Pentecost.  It is when the young person “confirms” their belief in the Catholic faith.  As part of the Rite of Confirmation, the Bishop calls down the Holy Spirit to kindle or ignite the gifts that had been given through Baptism.  It is a moment of conversion for these young people, but it is a good reminder for the rest of us.  Just as our Baptism is not just something that happened to us, our Confirmation isn’t either.  In our daily lives we should call upon the Holy Spirit to fill us with wisdom, understanding, knowledge, wonder and awe, courage (fortitude), reverence (respect) and right judgment (prudence).  Of course these are things we all want and need each day but do we seek God’s guidance and help in living them out?  Lucky for us, God wants to be there with us to give us what we need when we need it…and He made it so simple because all we have to do is ask and we will get it.  Make this simple prayer a part of your everyday, once a day, three times a day, every hour on the hour you are awake and pay attention to what God does when you say, “Come Holy Spirit” and are truly open to the change this power can have on your life!  AMEN!