23/05/2026
*✞ DAILY GOSPEL ✞*
*24th MAY, SUNDAY*
*PENTECOST SUNDAY*
🕊️ 💧🔥🌪️
* The Dove: Symbolizes peace, gentleness, and purity. In the Gospels, the Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove at Jesus' baptism, showing God's gentle, loving presence.
* Fire: Symbolizes transformation, passion, and purification. At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit appeared as "tongues of fire" resting on the disciples, representing spiritual zeal and the refining work of God.
* Water: Symbolizes new life, cleansing, and refreshing. Jesus referred to the Holy Spirit as "living water" that quenches spiritual thirst and brings eternal life.
* Wind (Air): Symbolizes power, life, and an invisible presence. Just as you cannot see the wind but can feel its effects, the Holy Spirit moves invisibly to breathe spiritual life into the Church.
* Oil: Symbolizes anointing, healing, and empowerment. In biblical times, oil was used to consecrate and empower kings, priests, and prophets, just as the Spirit empowers believers._
*“And Suddenly There Came From The Sky A Noise Like A Strong Driving Wind ”*
_Today is the celebration of Pentecost. It commemorates the decent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples of Jesus. In Judaism, the Festival of Weeks (Shavuot) was celebrated seven weeks and one day after the Passover. It commemorated the day God gave the Law (Ten Commandments) to the people of Israel at Mt. Sinai. Pentecost is the birthday of the Church. It is the day the Holy Spirit imparted the grace, the wisdom, and the courage to preach the Word of the risen Christ throughout the world._
*FIRST READING*
*Acts 2:1-11*
_They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak_
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."
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*RESPONSORIAL PSALM*
Psalm 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34
*R. 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.*
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*SECOND READING*
*1 Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13*
_In the one Spirit we were all baptised_
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.
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*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.
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*GOSPEL ACCLAMATION*
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.
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*GOSPEL*
*John 20:19-23*
_As the Father sent me, so am I sending you: receive the Holy Spirit_
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."
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*Have a Blessed Day*
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Our *First Reading* (Acts 2:1-11)tells this story vividly. Fifty days after Christ’s Passover supper, the disciples were celebrating the festival of Pentecost (Shavuot). Suddenly, the promised Advocate descended upon them as tongues of fire and enlightened and emboldened them. No longer would they cower in fear; they would now proclaim the risen Christ in Jerusalem and to the ends of the earth. Their speaking in tongues foreshadowed the preaching of the Gospel throughout the world in every tongue.
In our *Epistle Reading* (1 Corinthians 12:3, 12-13), St. Paul explains the many different spiritual gifts and forms of service that come from the same Holy Spirit. Each of us are called in some unique way by the Spirit to do God’s will and God’s work. Together, though we are many parts, we make up one body, the body of Christ, His Church.
In our *Gospel Reading* (John 20:19-23)Jesus appeared to His apostles in the locked upper room, where they gathered “for fear of the Jews”. He gave them His peace: “My peace be with you.” He then “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.”
This in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit is the fulfillment of Christ’s Passover and the day that “the Holy Trinity is fully revealed”(CCC 731-732). It was an earthshaking event that changed the world forever. This "Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father and the Son" (John 15:26) lives and remains active in our world today. This is our prayer today and always, "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 will renew the face of the earth ”
