{"id":11540,"date":"2012-05-27T07:35:44","date_gmt":"2012-05-27T14:35:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/?p=11540"},"modified":"2015-03-19T15:29:31","modified_gmt":"2015-03-19T22:29:31","slug":"sunday-lectionary-fire-fall-down","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/2012\/05\/27\/sunday-lectionary-fire-fall-down\/","title":{"rendered":"Sunday Lectionary: Fire Fall Down"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"color: #888888\"><em>If you are leading a Bible Study of these Readings, I would suggest reading them in the following order: Gospel, First Reading, Second Reading, Psalm.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Pentecost Sunday: May 27, 2012<\/h2>\n<p>This week is probably my favourite feast in the Church&#8217;s liturgical year: Pentecost. On the day the Holy Spirit came, three thousand people entered the Church. Let us pray to the Holy Spirit that we might see this again in our days&#8230;<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><span style=\"color: #000000\"><em>Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><span style=\"color: #000000\"><em>O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations, Through Christ Our Lord, Amen.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-11553\" src=\"http:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/pentecost.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"471\" height=\"274\" srcset=\"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/pentecost.jpg 471w, https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/pentecost-300x174.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 471px) 100vw, 471px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<h3>Reading 1 Acts 2:1-11<\/h3>\n<p>This week we pick up from where we left off last Sunday. Last week we read about how Jesus ascended into Heaven and told His disciples to remain in Jerusalem for the coming of the Holy Spirit.<\/p>\n<p>The believers gathered together in prayer for nine days (the first <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Novena\">Novena<\/a>) and on the tenth day, something amazing happened&#8230;<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em><span style=\"color: #993300\">When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled,\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"color: #993300\">they were all in one place together.<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">And suddenly there came from the sky<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">a noise like a strong driving wind,<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">and it filled the entire house in which they were.<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire,<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">which parted and came to rest on each one of them.<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">and began to speak in different tongues,<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em><span style=\"color: #993300\">Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem.<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">At this sound, they gathered in a large crowd,<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">but they were confused<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">because each one heard them speaking in his own language.<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">They were astounded, and in amazement they asked,<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">&#8220;Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans?<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">Then how does each of us hear them in his native language?<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites,<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia,<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia,<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene,<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">as well as travelers from Rome,<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs,<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">of the mighty acts of God.&#8221;<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p>Questions:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>How is it that the text can say <em><span style=\"color: #993300\">&#8220;When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled&#8230;&#8221;<\/span><\/em>? The sending of the Holy Spirit i.e. <em><span style=\"color: #993300\">&#8220;Pentecost&#8221;<\/span><\/em>, had not yet taken place!<\/li>\n<li>What signs accompanied the Holy Spirit? Which senses were engaged?<\/li>\n<li>What gift was given by the Holy Spirit? What does this indicate? Can you think of an Old Testament episode related to this?<\/li>\n<li>How do the disciples respond to coming of the Holy Spirit?<\/li>\n<li>Why were so many people in Jerusalem?<\/li>\n<li>How did the crowd react? Why?<\/li>\n<li>Have you ever had a powerful conversion experience like this?<\/li>\n<li>Why are there so many hard place names in this passage?! \ud83d\ude09<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Commentary:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><span style=\"color: #993300\"><em>When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, &#8230;<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px\">Prior to the coming of the Holy Spirit, <em><span style=\"color: #993300\">&#8220;Pentecost&#8221;<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 was already a festival in the Jewish calendar\u00a0(<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Exodus%2023:14-17&amp;version=NIV\">Exodus 23:14-17<\/a>).<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px\">Pentecost is also known as the Feast of\u00a0<span style=\"color: #000000\"><em>&#8220;Shavuot&#8221;<\/em><\/span>, literally,\u00a0<span style=\"color: #000000\"><em>&#8220;weeks&#8221;<\/em><\/span>, marking the end of the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">seven weeks<\/span> between Passover and the Feast itself (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Deuteronomy%2016:9-10&amp;version=NIV\">Deuteronomy 16:9-10<\/a>). The word\u00a0<em><span style=\"color: #993300\">&#8220;Pentecost&#8221;<\/span><\/em>\u00a0comes from the Greek word\u00a0<span style=\"color: #000000\"><em>&#8220;Petekoste&#8221;<\/em><\/span>, which means\u00a0<span style=\"color: #000000\"><em>&#8220;fiftieth&#8221;<\/em><\/span>, the number of <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">days<\/span> between Passover and Pentecost.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px\">The feast of Pentecost celebrated two things:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 90px\"><strong><strong>1. The giving of the Law<\/strong><\/strong>. This is when Moses received the Law of God on stone tablets at Sinai.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 90px\"><strong>2. The first fruits of the grain harvest<\/strong>. Pentecost\u00a0is also known as the Feast of\u00a0<span style=\"color: #000000\"><em>&#8220;First Fruits&#8221;\u00a0<\/em><\/span>\u00a0or\u00a0<span style=\"color: #000000\"><em>&#8220;Cutting of the crop&#8221; <\/em><\/span>(<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Exodus%2034:22&amp;version=NIV\">Exodus 34:22<\/a>). \u00a0In the Temple the people would offer to God a choice portion of the crop known as the\u00a0<span style=\"color: #000000\"><em>&#8220;first fruits&#8221;<\/em><\/span>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px\">These two associations foreshadow the coming of the Holy Spirit and can enlighten our understanding. When the Holy Spirit came, the law of God was written on the hearts of Christians, rather than on the stone tablets of Sinai:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 90px\"><em><span style=\"color: #993300\">\u201cThe days are coming,\u201d declares the\u00a0Lord,\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"color: #993300\">\u201cwhen I will make a <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">new covenant\u00a0<\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #993300\">with the people of Israel<\/span><span style=\"color: #993300\">&#8230;\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"color: #993300\">It will <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">not be like<\/span> the covenant\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"color: #993300\">I made with their ancestors&#8230;\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><span style=\"color: #993300;text-decoration: underline\">I will put my law in their minds\u00a0<\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #993300\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">and write it on their hearts<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"color: #993300\">I will be their God,<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">and they will be my people<span style=\"font-size: 11px\">&#8230;<\/span><\/span><\/em><span style=\"color: #993300\"><em>\u201d &#8211;<\/em>\u00a0Jeremiah 31:31-34;<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px\">When the disciples went out to preach filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, there was a great harvest of souls (3,000).<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><span style=\"color: #993300\"><em>&#8230;they were all in one place together.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px\">Literally, this means that they were physically together in one place. This was the Upper Room where the Last Supper was held. We are told that the Blessed Virgin was there, together with about 120 people. That house must have been packed! They were waiting for the Spirit which Jesus had promised to send:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 90px\"><span style=\"color: #993300\"><em>\u201cDo not leave Jerusalem, but <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">wait for the gift<\/span> my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">baptized with the Holy Spirit<\/span>\u201d<\/em>\u00a0&#8211; Acts 1:4-5<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px\">I think we may also see a spiritual meaning here, that they were united in heart and soul.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><span style=\"color: #993300\"><em>And suddenly there came from the sky<\/em>\u00a0<em>a noise like a strong driving wind,<\/em>\u00a0<em>and it filled the entire house in which they were.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px\">God gives them a sign to be heard. In Greek there is a phonetic relationship between\u00a0wind\u00a0(<em><span style=\"color: #000000\">\u201cpnue\u201d<\/span><\/em>) and spirit (<em><span style=\"color: #000000\">\u201cpneuma\u201d<\/span><\/em>). In Hebrew, the word for wind, breath and spirit is the same (<em><span style=\"color: #000000\">\u201cruah\u201d<\/span><\/em>).<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px\">It\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\"><em>&#8220;filled the entire house&#8221;<\/em><\/span>\u00a0may be read spiritually to refer to the Church. If the Church is thought of as the Body of Christ, the Spirit may be seen, in some sense, as the Church&#8217;s <em>&#8220;soul&#8221;<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px\">The Spirit hovered over the waters at Creation (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Genesis+1:2&amp;version=NIV\">Genesis 1:2<\/a>). Now the Spirit is about to make a new creation (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=2%20Corinthians+5:17&amp;version=NIV\">2 Corinthians 5:17<\/a>).<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px\">Finally, I can never hear of the Pentecost account without thinking of the vision of Ezekiel and the &#8220;Valley of Dry Bones&#8221;:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 90px\"><span style=\"color: #993300\"><em>This is what the Sovereign\u00a0Lord says: &#8216;<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">Come, breath, from the four winds\u00a0and breathe into these slain, that they may live<\/span>.\u2019\u00a0So I prophesied as he commanded\u00a0me, and breath entered them; <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">they came to life and stood up on their feet\u2014a vast army<\/span>.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 90px\"><span style=\"color: #993300\"><em>&#8220;My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel.\u00a0Then you, my people, will know that I am the\u00a0Lord,\u00a0when I open your graves and bring you up from them.\u00a0I will <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">put my Spirit\u00a0in you and you will live<\/span>, and I will settle\u00a0you in your own land. Then you will know that I the\u00a0Lord\u00a0have spoken, and I have done it, declares the\u00a0Lord\u201d\u00a0<\/em>&#8211; Ezekiel 37:9-14<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><span style=\"color: #993300\"><em>Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire,<\/em>\u00a0<em>which parted and came to rest on each one of them.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px\">There is a sign for the eyes.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px\">The symbolism Fire is important. Fire gives light. It is powerful. It has a purifying power, such as when it is used to purify metals.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px\">Fire is also associated with the Holy Spirit and God&#8217;s presence. The Israelites where guided by a pillar of fire through the desert.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px\">See <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Isaiah%2066:15-20&amp;version=NIV\">Isaiah 66:15-20<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><span style=\"color: #993300\"><em>And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit<\/em>\u00a0<em>and began to speak in different tongues,<\/em>\u00a0<em>as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px\">They are now <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">filled<\/span>\u00a0with the Holy Spirit which is manifested in the speaking of foreign languages.\u00a0This is the same Spirit through which Christ\u00a0ministered:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 90px\"><span style=\"color: #993300\"><em>\u201cAnd Jesus, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">full of the Holy Spirit<\/span>, returned from the Jordan, and was <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">led by the Spirit<\/span> for forty days in the wilderness\u2026and Jesus returned in the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">power of the Spirit<\/span> into Galilee\u201d<\/em> &#8211; Luke 4:1,14<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px\">This is the same Spirit we receive in Baptism:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 90px\"><span style=\"color: #000000\"><em>\u201cThe Spirit restores paradise to us and the way to heaven and adoption as children of God; he <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">instills confidence<\/span> that we may call God truly Father and <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">grants us the grace of Christ<\/span> to be children of the light and to enjoy eternal glory. In a word, he bestows <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">the fullness of blessings in this world and the next<\/span>; for we may contemplate now in the mirror of faith the promised things we shall someday enjoy. If this is the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">foretaste<\/span>, what must the reality be? If these are the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">first fruits<\/span>, what must be the harvest?\u201d<\/em>\u00a0&#8211; St. Basil the Great, Treatise on The Holy Spirit<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><span style=\"color: #993300\"><em>Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px\">They came for the celebration of Pentecost. It was required of all males over the age of twelve to make the journey to Jerusalem for the three major feasts: Passover, Pentecost and Booths.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><span style=\"color: #993300\"><em>At this sound, they gathered in a large crowd,<\/em>\u00a0<em>but they were confused<\/em>\u00a0<em>because each one heard them speaking in his own language.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px\">However, the crowd is <em><span style=\"color: #993300\">&#8220;confused&#8221;<\/span><\/em>. In the Greek translation of the Old Testament (The Septuagint) uses the same word to describe what happened at the Tower of Babel (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Genesis+11:1-10&amp;version=NIV\">Genesis 11:1-10<\/a>). There God scattered the nations through different tongues. Now the effect is reversed and they are gathered together.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><span style=\"color: #993300\"><em>They were astounded, and in amazement they asked,<\/em>\u00a0<em>&#8220;Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans?<\/em>\u00a0<em>Then how does each of us hear them in his native language?<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px\">The crowd goes from <em><span style=\"color: #993300\">&#8220;confused&#8221;<\/span><\/em> to <em><span style=\"color: #993300\">&#8220;astounded&#8221;<\/span><\/em>. They do not understand how this is possible.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><span style=\"color: #993300\"><em>&#8220;&#8230;We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites,<\/em>\u00a0<em>inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia,<\/em>\u00a0<em>Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia,<\/em>\u00a0<em>Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene,<\/em>\u00a0<em>as well as travelers from Rome,<\/em>\u00a0<em>both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs,<\/em>\u00a0<em>yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues<\/em>\u00a0<em>of the mighty acts of God.&#8221;<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px\">The places listed move from East to West. The people listed\u00a0had come from all over the world yet they hear God&#8217;s praises. This foreshadows the proclamation of the Gospel to the Gentiles.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34<\/h3>\n<p>This psalm is a request for God to send His Spirit.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><strong><em><span style=\"color: #993300\">R. (cf. 30) Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px\">When the Lord sends His Spirit the world is transformed.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><span style=\"color: #993300\">Bless the LORD, O my soul!<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">O LORD, my God, you are great indeed!<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">How manifold are your works, O LORD!<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">the earth is full of your creatures;<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px\">Praise of the Lord, like at Pentecost.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em><span style=\"color: #993300\">May the glory of the LORD endure forever;<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">may the LORD be glad in his works!<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">Pleasing to him be my theme;<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">I will be glad in the LORD.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px\">Joy in the Lord, like at Pentecost.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em><span style=\"color: #993300\">If you take away their breath, they perish<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">and return to their dust.<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">When you send forth your spirit, they are created,<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">and you renew the face of the earth.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px\">The spirit is necessary for life and renewal.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Reading II: 1 Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13<\/h3>\n<p><em><span style=\"color: #808080\">There was a choice of readings for the Second Reading. I chose the Corinthians passage over the one from\u00a0Galatians.\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p>The Corinthians had asked Paul about the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Which one was &#8220;best&#8221;? Unfortunately, it appears that the Corinthians had descended into elitism and spiritual snobbery. Paul decides to set them straight&#8230;<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em><span style=\"color: #993300\">Brothers and sisters:<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">No one can say, &#8220;Jesus is Lord,&#8221; except by the Holy Spirit.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em><span style=\"color: #993300\">There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit;<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">there are different forms of service but the same Lord;<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">there are different workings but the same God<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">who produces all of them in everyone.<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">is given for some benefit.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em><span style=\"color: #993300\">As a body is one though it has many parts,<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body,<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">so also Christ.<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body,<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons,<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p>Questions:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>What does Paul say about gifts?\u00a0Where do they come from? Why are they given?<\/li>\n<li>How are we joined together by the Spirit? What kinds of people are joined together?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Commentary:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em><span style=\"color: #993300\">Brothers and sisters:\u00a0No one can say, &#8220;Jesus is Lord,&#8221; except by the Holy Spirit.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px\">A confession of faith is the work of the Spirit.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em><span style=\"color: #993300\">There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit;\u00a0there are different forms of service but the same Lord;\u00a0there are different workings but the same God\u00a0who produces all of them in everyone.\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px\">Notice the structure here:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 90px\"><em><span style=\"color: #993300\">&#8220;There are <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">different kinds<\/span> of spiritual gifts but <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">the same Spirit<\/span>;<\/span><\/em><br \/>\n<em><span style=\"color: #993300\"> there are <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">different forms<\/span> of service but <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">the same Lord<\/span>;<\/span><\/em><br \/>\n<em><span style=\"color: #993300\"> there are <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">different workings<\/span> but <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">the same God<\/span> who produces all of them in everyone&#8221;<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px\">There are different gifts, but they all come from the same Giver. Because they all have the same origin, they are all precious.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em><span style=\"color: #993300\">To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit\u00a0is given for some benefit.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px\">Gifts are given for <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">a purpose<\/span>. Here it is worth considering the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=mt%2025:14-30&amp;version=NIV\">Parable of the Talents<\/a> and the Lord&#8217;s response to the man who buried his talent.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px\">Gifts are not given for <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">our own self-indulgence<\/span>. Here it is worth considering the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=lk%2012:13-21&amp;version=NIV\">Parable of the Rich Farmer<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em><span style=\"color: #993300\">As a body is one though it has many parts,\u00a0and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body,\u00a0so also Christ.\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px\">We are united together in the Body of Christ.\u00a0A body has different parts, but they all need one another if the body is to be fully-functioning and healthy.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em><span style=\"color: #993300\">For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body,\u00a0whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons,\u00a0and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px\">Even in diversity, we have unity. The great variety of gifts and people are united together by the Spirit.<\/p>\n<div style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><\/div>\n<h3>Gospel:\u00a0John 15:26-27; 16:12-15<\/h3>\n<p><em><span style=\"color: #808080\">Another choice here was made, for the earlier passage from John rather than the one from the end of his Gospel.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p>In this Reading we travel back to a point in time before the coming of the Spirit as described in our First Reading. Jesus is promising the Holy Spirit, and telling His disciples what will happen when the Comforter comes&#8230;<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em><span style=\"color: #993300\">Jesus said to his disciples:<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em><span style=\"color: #993300\">&#8220;When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father,<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father,<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">he will testify to me.<\/span><\/em><br \/>\n<em> <span style=\"color: #993300\">And you also testify,<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">because you have been with me from the beginning.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em><span style=\"color: #993300\">&#8220;I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now.<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">But when he comes, the Spirit of truth,<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">he will guide you to all truth.<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">He will not speak on his own,<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">but he will speak what he hears,<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">and will declare to you the things that are coming.<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">He will glorify me,<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">Everything that the Father has is mine;<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine<\/span>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\">and declare it to you.&#8221;<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p>Questions:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Who will send the Spirit?<\/li>\n<li>From whom does the Spirit <em><span style=\"color: #993300\">&#8220;proceed&#8221;<\/span><\/em>?<\/li>\n<li>What will the Spirit do?<\/li>\n<li>How is the work of the Trinity described?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Commentary:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><span style=\"color: #993300\"><em>Jesus said to his disciples:\u00a0<\/em><em>&#8220;When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, &#8230;<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px\">Why does Jesus call the Holy Spirit the <em><span style=\"color: #993300\">&#8220;Advocate&#8221;<\/span><\/em> (or <em><span style=\"color: #993300\">&#8220;Comforter&#8221;<\/span><\/em>)?<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 90px\"><span style=\"color: #000000\"><em>The Holy Spirit He calls the Comforter\/Advocate, a name taken from <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">His office<\/span>, which is not only to <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">relieve the sorrows<\/span> of the faithful, but to <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">fill them with unspeakable joy<\/span>. Everlasting gladness is in those hearts, in which the Spirit dwells <\/em>&#8211; Didymus<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px\">Jesus says He will send the Spirit.\u00a0In what way is the Holy Spirit <em><span style=\"color: #993300\">&#8220;sent&#8221;<\/span><\/em>?<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 90px\"><span style=\"color: #000000\"><em>The Spirit&#8230;is sent by the Son, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">not as Angels, or Prophets, or Apostles, are sent<\/span>&#8230; The Son when sent by the Father, is <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">not separated from Him<\/span>, but abides in the Father, and the Father in Him. In the same way the Holy Spirit is <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">not sent<\/span> by the Son, and proceeds from the Father, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">in the sense of change of place<\/span><\/em>\u00a0&#8211; Didymus<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><span style=\"color: #993300\"><em>&#8230;the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father, &#8230;<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px\">The title <em><span style=\"color: #993300\">&#8220;Spirit of truth&#8221;<\/span><\/em> is an interesting one:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 90px\"><span style=\"color: #000000\"><em>He calls Him not &#8220;the Holy Spirit&#8221;, but &#8220;the Spirit of truth&#8221;, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">to show the perfect faith that was due to Him<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 &#8211; St. John\u00a0Chrysostom<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px\">The Spirit proceeds from the Father. The question as to whether the Spirit <em><span style=\"color: #000000\">&#8220;proceeds&#8221;<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 from the Father\u00a0and\u00a0the Son, or simply from the Father alone has been a source of\u00a0historical theological clashes between the Eastern and Western Church. This is less of an issue today. For example, in Eastern Catholic Churches, the phrase\u00a0<span style=\"color: #000000\"><em>&#8220;&#8230;and the Son&#8221;<\/em><\/span>\u00a0may be validly omitted in the Creed. Here is what some of the Church Fathers have to say on the matter:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 90px\"><span style=\"color: #000000\"><em>He does not say, from God, or, from the Almighty, but, from the Father, because though the Father and God Almighty are the same, yet <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">the Spirit of truth properly proceeds from God, as the Father, the Begetter<\/span>. The Father and the Son <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">together send<\/span> the Spirit of truth: He comes <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">by the will both of the Father and the Son<\/span><\/em> &#8211; Didymus<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 90px\"><span style=\"color: #000000\"><em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">Elsewhere<\/span> He says that <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">the Father sends the Spirit<\/span>; now He says <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">He [Jesus] does<\/span>&#8230;thus declaring the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">equality of the Father and the Son<\/span>. That He might not be thought however to be <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">opposed<\/span> to the Father, and to be <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">another and rival source<\/span>, as it were, of the Spirit, He adds, &#8220;From the Father&#8221;, i.e., the Father <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">agreeing<\/span>, and taking <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">an equal part in sending Him<\/span>&#8230;<\/em> \u00a0&#8211; Theophyl<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 90px\"><span style=\"color: #000000\"><em>If it be asked here whether the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Son also, we may answer thus: The Son is the Son of the Father alone, and the Father is the Father of the Son only; but <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">the Holy Spirit is not the Spirit of one, but of both<\/span>; since Christ Himself said, &#8220;The Spirit of your Father which speaks in you&#8221; (Mat 10:20). And the Apostle says, &#8220;God has sent the Spirit of His Son into your hearts&#8221; (Gal 4:6).<\/em> &#8211; St. Augustine<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px\">Each of these Early Church Fathers have much more to say on this subject. If you are interested, I would invite you to consult <a href=\"http:\/\/www.catecheticsonline.com\/CatenaAurea.php\">the Catena<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><span style=\"color: #993300\"><em>\u00a0&#8230;<\/em><em>he will testify to me.\u00a0<\/em><em>And you also testify,\u00a0<\/em><em>because you have been with me from the beginning.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px\">The Spirit will<em><span style=\"color: #993300\"> &#8220;testify&#8221;<\/span><\/em> to Jesus. Christians will do the same thing in the world. In fact, it is <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">through the Spirit<\/span> that Christians will testify.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 90px\"><em>As if He said, &#8220;Seeing Me, they hated and killed Me; but the Comforter shall give such testimony concerning Me as shall make them believe, though they see Me not. And <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">because He shall testify, you shall testify also<\/span>:\u00a0And you also shall bear witness; He will <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">inspire your hearts<\/span>, and you shall <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">proclaim with your voices<\/span>. And you will preach what you know, Because you have been with Me from the beginning; which now you do not do, because <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">you have not yet the fullness of the Spirit<\/span>. But the love of God shall then be shed abroad in your hearts by the Spirit which shall be given you, and <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">shall make you confident witnesses<\/span> to Me. The <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">Holy Spirit by His testimony made others testify<\/span>, taking away <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">fear<\/span> from the friends of Christ&#8217;s, and <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">converting the hatred<\/span> of His enemies into <span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">love<\/span>&#8220;<\/em> &#8211; St. Augustine<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><span style=\"color: #993300\"><em>&#8220;I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now.<\/em>\u00a0<em>But when he comes, the Spirit of truth,<\/em>\u00a0<em>he will guide you to all truth&#8230;&#8221;<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px\">Enlightenment by the Spirit is necessary before they can understand all that they need to know. Even at the end of Jesus&#8217; ministry there is more which they <em><span style=\"color: #993300\">&#8220;cannot bear&#8221;<\/span><\/em>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>&#8220;&#8230;He will not speak on his own,<\/em><span style=\"color: #993300\">\u00a0<\/span><em>but he will speak what he hears,<\/em><span style=\"color: #993300\">\u00a0<\/span><em>and will declare to you the things that are coming.\u00a0<\/em><em>He will glorify me,<\/em>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #993300\"><em>because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.\u00a0<\/em><em>Everything that the Father has is mine;<\/em>\u00a0<em>for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine<\/em>\u00a0<em>and declare it to you.&#8221;<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px\">We see the life of the Trinity here.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you are leading a Bible Study of these Readings, I would suggest reading them in the following order: Gospel, First Reading, Second Reading, Psalm. Pentecost Sunday: May 27, 2012 This week is probably my favourite feast in the Church&#8217;s liturgical year: Pentecost. On the day the Holy Spirit came, three thousand people entered the Church. Let us pray to<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[662,2969,1108,1133,1132,1105,1134,595,1135,1086,118,1139],"class_list":["post-11540","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sunday-lectionary","tag-body","tag-featured","tag-gifts","tag-grain-harvest","tag-harvest-festival","tag-holy-spirit","tag-law","tag-moses","tag-novena","tag-pentecost","tag-prayer","tag-shavuot"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11540","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11540"}],"version-history":[{"count":38,"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11540\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":56495,"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11540\/revisions\/56495"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11540"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11540"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/restlesspilgrim.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11540"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}