Gospel: Pentecost Sunday

Today marks the great feast of the Pentecost and the Gospel reading for the Eucharistic celebration will be lifted from St John (20:19-23).

In the evening of the same day, the first day of the week, the doors were closed in the room where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews. Jesus came and stood before them. He said to them, "Peace be with you,"

and after saying this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were filled with joy at seeing the Lord,

and he said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, so am I sending you."

After saying this he breathe on them and said: Receive the Holy Spirit.

If you forgive anyone's sins, they are forgiven; if you retain anyone's sins, they are retained.

The season of Easter concludes with today's celebration, the solemnity of the Pentecost. On Pentecost, we celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles gathered in the upper room in Jerusalem; this event marks the beginning of the Church. The story of Pentecost is found in the Acts of the Apostles, today's first reading. The account in today's Gospel, John 20:19-23, also recounts how Jesus gave the gift of the Holy Spirit to his disciples. Yet the event in St John's Gospel takes place on Easter Sunday. There is no need to try to reconcile these two accounts. It is to we know that after his death, Jesus fulfilled his promise to send to his disciples a helper, an Advocate, who would enable them to be his witnesses throughout the world.

In the context of the great feast of the Pentecost, John 20:19-23 reminds us about the integral connection between the gifts of peace and forgiveness and the action of the Holy Spirit. Jesus greets his disciples with the gift of peace. He then commissions his disciples to continue the work that he has began. "As the Father sent me, so I send you." He breathes the Holy Spirit upon the disciples and sends them to continue his work of reconciliation through the forgiveness of sins. Jesus' act of breathing the Holy Spirit upon the disciples mirrors God's act of breathing life into Adam. In fact, both the Greek and Hebrew words for "spirit" can also be translated as "breath." This Gospel reminds us that the Church is called to be a reconciling presence in the world. The reconciling presence of Christ is celebrated in the Church's sacramental life. In the Sacrament of Baptism, we are cleansed of sin and become a new creation in Christ. In the Sacrament of Penance, the Church celebrates the mercy of God through the forgiveness of sins. This reconciling presence is also to be the way of life for Christians. In situations of conflict, we are to be agents of peace and harmony among people.

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The Gospel is sponsored by BonChon Chicken.