Pentecost Sunday (A)

(Edited) Sunday reflections: (From) Years 2014 (A), 2015 (B), and 2016 (C)

June 8, 2014
Liturgical readings
Acts 2:1-11
Psalm 104
1 Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13
John 20:19-23

All were filled with the Holy Spirit.

Pentecost Sunday. A Solemnity to celebrate the birth of the Church. There is a Sequence for this solemn feast aside from the usual liturgical readings. It is recited in either prose or the poetic version. Both versions pray to the Holy Spirit - imploring Him to fill the hearts of the faithful. This Spirit is addressed by the faithful in many ways, as can be heard in the recitation of the Sequence: Father of the poor, giver of God's gifts, light of men's hearts, kindly Paraclete, source of all our store, the soul's most welcome guest, sweet refreshment here below, solace in the midst of woe...

The Holy Spirit is the giver of many charisms in the Church. One such charism is given to St. Louis-Marie de Montfort. Montfort was a French missionary priest who lived from 1673-1716 A.D. He wrote about the Holy Spirit in relation to the Blessed Mother. He says the Blessed Virgin Mary is like a spiritual magnet that attracts the Holy Spirit because of her manifold graces. This happened in the Incarnation; and it happened also at Pentecost. This is Montfort's intuition: in the Incarnation, Mary, attracted the Holy Spirit and the Word became flesh in her womb. Among the apostles in the Cenacle, she also attracted the Holy Spirit and the Church was conceived.

What is the Holy Spirit's role in this present generation? One role is the creation of Spirit-inspired charismatic movements - a very popular and spiritually magnetic arm of the Church. They were born at a time when rebirth and renewed attention to the Holy Spirit was ushered in by the Second Vatical Council in the early 1960s. This council brought the Church closer to the people through a renewed missionary force. The council made all the faithful aware that the present age is the age of the Holy Spirit. It is the Spirit who guides and moves the Church, to a greater fervor in the faith, and a more ardent desire to know, love and serve God.

Scripture quotes for reflection:
"Tongues as of fire appeared which parted and came to rest on each of them. All were filled with the Holy Spirit." (1 Peter)

Understanding the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles

Understanding the Gospel of Luke

The Gospel of Luke from the Perspective of a Journey

Backgrounder on Luke's gospel

The gospel of Luke is often referred to by post-Vatican II bible scholars as a two volume book known as Luke-Acts. The author of the gospel is also the author of the Acts of the Apostles. When reading both books, one can see the missionary works of Jesus continued by the missionary works of His followers. The apostles and St. Paul continue the mission of Jesus in the book of Acts.

The journey perspective in St. Luke's gospel

To understand the richness of Luke's gospel, one can focus on the journey narrative in the presentation of the gospel. Below is an outline of this journey:

• Jesus journeys in his ministry from Galilee to Jerusalem
• Galilean Ministry [Luke 4:14 - Luke 9:50]
• Journey to Jerusalem [Luke 9:51 - Luke 19:27]
• Jerusalem Ministry [Luke 19:28 - Luke 21:38]

The Passion and Death of Jesus [Luke 22:1ff]
The Resurrection [Luke 24:1ff]
The Ascension [Luke 24:50ff]
The Pentecost [Acts 2:1ff]


• The followers of Jesus, filled with the Holy Spirit, journeys from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth
• Mission in Jerusalem [Acts 1:1 - Acts 5:42]
• Mission in Judea and Samaria [Acts 6:1 - Acts 12:25]
• Mission to the ends of the earth [Acts 13:1 - Acts 28:31]

note: outline from the Jerusalem Bible translation

The key passage of the gospel of Luke for this missionary program

After many post-Vatican II studies on the Scripture, Luke 4:16-30 was discovered as the key passage to understand the missionary program of Jesus in the gospel of Luke. These studies point out that key passage as a "programmatic text". It is a programmatic text, because it outlines the missionary program of Jesus ministry. One passage often highlighted as representative of the programmatic text is:


"The Spirit of the Lord has been given to Me, for He has anointed Me. He has sent Me to bring the good news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives and to the blind new sight, to set the downtrodden free, to proclaim the Lord's year of favour. [Luke 4:18-19]


This proclamation made by Jesus at the synagogue of Jerusalem outlines His whole mission. If placed in the context of the missionary program outlined above, it clearly shows in detail what Jesus has done in His missionary journeys in the gospel of Luke.

Emphasis of Luke's gospel in the mission to the poor, the proclamation of blessing, and the Lord's favour

The whole of Jesus' mission in Galilee and Jerusalem was a mission for people in Jewish society who were poor and marginalized. Especially of note are the sick, the blind, and those souls captive to evil spirits. Luke's Jesus is portrayed as a man with compassion for the suffering and who experience distress. This is clearly evidenced in [Luke 6:36] - "Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate."

As Jesus prophetic mission to the poor and the oppressed in Galilee and Jerusalem endeared Him to the people. It is this following of His Father's will that led to His arrest and death on the Cross. But, after three days, He rose again by the power of the Holy Spirit. He appeared to His disciples, ascended into heaven, and then at Pentecost, sent the Holy Spirit to commission all His followers to continue His mission - a mission He began at Galilee and Jerusalem. Before His ascent into heaven, He told His disciples in [Acts 1:8]

"...you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and then you will be my witnesses not only in Jerusalem but throughout Judaea and Samaria, and indeed to the ends of the earth." This is the key verse that outlines the book of the Acts of the Apostles. The followers of Jesus continued the mission of building God's Kingdom: first in Jerusalem, then in Judaea and Samaria, and then to the ends of the earth.

Venerable Bede, Priest, Doctor of the Church & Benedictine Monk (May 25)

St. Bede, Priest and Doctor of the Church: c. 673-735 A.D.

Feast day, May 25

Birth and life as a monk

St. Bede or Venerable Bede, was born in the lands near St. Peter and St. Paul monastery at Wearmouth-Jarrow, England, in 673 A.D. Almost all that is known of Bede's life comes from the last chapter of his greatest work, Historia Ecclesiastica, an ecclesiastical history of England. This work he completed in 729 A.D. In contrast to St. Athanasius, who lived the most tumultuous life among all the Doctors of the Church, St. Bede lived the most peaceful life of all. He spent almost his entire life, from the age of seven years, in a Benedictine monastery on the River Tyne in northeastern England. His parents gave him to Abbot Benedict Biscop and Ceolfrid from whom Bede received an excellent education.

Priest, monk and scholar

At nineteen years of age, Bede was ordained a deacon. When he reached thirty years old, he was ordained a priest. Except for a few brief visits elsewhere, Bede spent his life mostly in the monastery, devoting himself to the study of Scripture, and to teaching and writing. He became an extraordinary scholar, well-versed in all the sciences of his times: natural philosophy, astronomy, arithmetic, grammar, the philosophy of Aristotle, the lives of saints, and history. He is considered one of the most learned men of his time and a major influence to English literature.

The "Venerable" saint

Bede was honoured as a saint even in his lifetime. In recognition for his saintliness and scholarship, he was entitled "the Venerable". This title was formalized at the Council of Aix-la-Chapelle (or Aachen) in 853 A.D., eighteen years after his death. Because of his holiness, Bede's advice and counsel were sought after by noblemen and even the pope. Although Bede was canonized a saint, "Venerable Bede" seems to remain a special designation and name for this holy Benedictine monk.

His numerous scholarly writings

Although Historia Ecclesiastica was Bede's greatest work, it was only one among many writings. All in all, St. Bede wrote forty-five books: thirty of which were commentaries on the Gospels, Acts of the Apostles, and sections of the Old and New Testaments. He also produced a scientific study based on the Roman writers Pliny the Younger and Suetonius, a biography of St. Cuthbert, and a history of the lives of the abbots of Wearmouth and Jarrow. In 1899 A.D., in recognition for his wisdom and learning, he was named a Doctor of the Church. He is the only English saint honored with this title.

Illness and death

St. Bede's last days began when he experienced an illness about ten days before Easter of 735 A.D. Though ill, he was still able to dictate two new books - one a translation of St. John's Gospel into Anglo-Saxon, and the other a collection of notes from St. Isidore of Seville. He died on Ascension Eve in 735 A.D. at the age of 62 years old. The Church celebrates his feast on May 25.

From a Letter on the Death of Bede, by Cuthbert:

When evening came, young Wilbert said to Bede, "Dear master, there is still one sentence that we have not written down."

Bede said: "Quick, write it down."

In a little while, Wilbert said: "There; now it is finished."

Bede said: "Good. You have spoken the truth; it is finished. Hold my head in your hands, for I really enjoy sitting opposite the holy place where I used to pray; I can call upon my Father as I sit there."

And so Bede, as he lay upon the floor of his cell, sang: "Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit." Then he breathed his last breath.

References of this article

• Dictionary of Saints, by John J. Delaney
• Saints for Our Time, by Ed Ransom
• The Doctors of the Church vol 1, by John F. Fink
• A Year With the Saints, by Don Bosco Press, Inc.