Sunday, May 20, 2018

Ready to Go! (Pentecost 2018)


The WORD today (see http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/052018-mass-during-day.cfm) reminds me that God equips us as we do his work. 


Before athletes join competition, they train hard. They practice hard. And the bigger the competition, the harder and the longer they practice. For Olympics, we hear of countries that constantly prepare years before. They devote time and resources to prepare their athletes. This is something similar to what God wants us to do. 

We should prepare ourselves so it will be easier for God to equip and use us. 

In the gospel, we see Jesus appearing to his disciples and greeting them with peace. He then told them that he is sending them out to do his work. But before that, he breathed on them and gave them the Holy Spirit to be with them as they do God's work. And in the first reading, we see this the disciples actually doing God's task and we see the mighty effect of God's blessing working through them. People heard them speak in their own languages. 


Working for God is not easy, but God makes sure that as we work for Him, we are equipped and capable. That is why he sent the Holy Spirit to be with us always and to guide us as we work for Him. 


Nothing great comes easy. But what is important is we know that it can be done. God can equip and use us to do great things through him. That is what the Holy Spirit is for.


What's the catch? What's the prerequisite for the Holy Spirit to remain in us? 


We have to prepare. We have to do our part. And part of preparing is being clean and ready to receive Him. 

We have to be empty and clean. 


Empty and clean. God and sin cannot mix. That is why if we are sinful, or are secretly living sinful lives, God cannot be with us. God cannot enter our lives. The Holy Spirit cannot dwell in us. And if we are full of ourselves and do not have space for God, He cannot stay with us. Only if we are living righteous lives and if we have space for Him can we truly be equipped to serve God. We should prepare ourselves by constantly trying to build a good relationship with God. We have to know his voice so we can recognize him. 

God can only fill us if we are empty of ourselves. and we can only effectively do God's work if we are full not of ourselves, but of God. Only when we are full of God, only when we are burning with God's love can we serve him mightily.

Am I living a life pleasing to God? Do I have space in my life for God? What takes up most of the space in my heart and in my life? Do I serve God? How? Do I have faith that he will equip me as I serve Him? Do I prepare and build a good relationship with Him?


May we prepare and allow ourselves to be ready and empty so God can fill us and equip us for his work.


Father God, 

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another Sunday. Thank you for the sun that not only brightens my day, but gives energy to me. Lord, sorry for the times I fail to prepare. Sorry for being too lazy to do my part. Sorry for not having the desire and the will to prepare myself for you. Lord, I pray that i always be reminded that you will equip me as i serve you. May I always remember too that I need to do my part as well - to be clean and empty so i can make space for you, so I can receive you. Help me humble myself and empty my heart so i can have space for you. Fill me and use me mightily to further your kingdom, Lord.  Amen.


Blessed Sunday!


In Christ,

-g-



May 20, 2018 - Pentecost Sunday - Mass during the Day

Pentecost Sunday - Mass during the Day
Lectionary: 63


Reading 1 ACTS 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 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."


Responsorial Psalm PS 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34

R. (cf. 30) Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Bless the LORD, O my soul!
O LORD, my God, you are great indeed!
How manifold are your works, O LORD!
the earth is full of your creatures;
R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
May the glory of the LORD endure forever;
may the LORD be glad in his works!
Pleasing to him be my theme;
I will be glad in the LORD.
R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
If you take away their breath, they perish
and return to their dust.
When you send forth your spirit, they are created,
and you renew the face of the earth.
R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.



Brothers and sisters:
No one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit.

There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit;
there are different forms of service but the same Lord;
there are different workings but the same God
who produces all of them in everyone.
To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit
is given for some benefit.

As a body is one though it has many parts,
and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body,
so also Christ.
For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body,
whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons,
and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.

or




Brothers and sisters, 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, lust, 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.


Sequence

Veni, Sancte Spiritus

Come, Holy Spirit, come!
And from your celestial home
Shed a ray of light divine!
Come, Father of the poor!
Come, source of all our store!
Come, within our bosoms shine.
You, of comforters the best;
You, the soul's most welcome guest;
Sweet refreshment here below;
In our labor, rest most sweet;
Grateful coolness in the heat;
Solace in the midst of woe.
O most blessed Light divine,
Shine within these hearts of yours,
And our inmost being fill!
Where you are not, we have naught,
Nothing good in deed or thought,
Nothing free from taint of ill.
Heal our wounds, our strength renew;
On our dryness pour your dew;
Wash the stains of guilt away:
Bend the stubborn heart and will;
Melt the frozen, warm the chill;
Guide the steps that go astray.
On the faithful, who adore
And confess you, evermore
In your sevenfold gift descend;
Give them virtue's sure reward;
Give them your salvation, Lord;
Give them joys that never end. Amen.
Alleluia.


Alleluia

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful
and kindle in them the fire of your love.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.



On the evening of that first day of the week,
when the doors were locked, where the disciples were,
for fear of the Jews,
Jesus came and stood in their midst
and said to them, "Peace be with you."
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.
The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you.
As the Father has sent me, so I send you."
And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,
"Receive the Holy Spirit.
Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them,
and whose sins you retain are retained."

or



Jesus said to his disciples:
"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."

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