Gospel for the day - Pentecost

John 14:15-16, 23b-26 - ‘The Holy Spirit will teach you all things.’


At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, ‘If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever. If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine, but the Father’s who sent me.


‘These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.’



This is the gospel of the Lord. Commentary on the readings.

Having used our prayer resources, you might want simply to reflect yourself on them and how that might flow into your coming week. Some people have found it very helpful to meet with others and share their thoughts.
If you are interested  in joining a small group to share your thoughts and feelings about God's Word from any of the resources you have watched please email us.         cluster.alpha@outlook.com



Questions for reflection (framed for a group discussion)


For Jews, fifty days after the Feast of the Passover comes the Feast of Weeks which is a harvest festival celebrating God’s gift of a fruitful harvest. In addition, it was traditionally known as the day on which God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai.


For Christians, fifty days after the Feast of Easter comes the Feast of Pentecost (Pentecosta is Greek for the number 50). Christians see this as the moment when God showers his people with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Instead of ten commandments, God gifts his people with the power to “love one another as I have loved you”.


It is often referred to as the birthday of the Church but it’s important to think of the word “Church” here as people - the community of believers transformed by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit rather than the establishment of a worldwide institution.



  1. What gift or gifts do you appreciate in those closest to you? See if you can tell them this by "sneaking" it into a conversation this week.
  2. What gift of service have you received from the Holy Spirit and how well are you using it right now?*



 * All second questions © The Pastoral Center


Prayers of Intercession



As we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit to the Apostles, let us ask for the Spirit to be with all our world leaders to have the courage, wisdom and understanding to bring about true and lasting peace and an end to war, violence and oppression - to make the Earth a place where the poor are fed and all strangers are welcomed.


Come Holy Spirit.....Fill the hearts of your Faithful



Under the guidance of Pope Leo, we pray that the Church will be seen and welcomed by everyone in the world as a home for the homeless and a place of rest for the weary.

 

Come Holy Spirit.....Fill the hearts of your Faithful


For our cluster Council and Community: may we always be open to the gifts of the Spirit and accept with joy the challenges that lie ahead as we continue to share and grow our faith, understanding and love.

 

Come Holy Spirit.....Fill the hearts of your Faithful


For ourselves, as we live our lives, we ask that the Holy Spirit will give us strength, courage, and inspiration to spread the message of love and forgiveness that Jesus gave to us.

 

Come Holy Spirit.....Fill the hearts of your Faithful


For those suffering in body, mind or spirit, and all those on the prayer foundation list, we pray that the Holy Spirit will be with them and their families and that they will receive all the love and support they need at this time.

 

Come Holy Spirit.....Fill the hearts of your Faithful


For those who have recently died. for those who are grieving and for those whose anniversaries occur at this time, We remember especially: Mary Smith, George Smith, Ella Stoddart, John Lovell, Patricia Cairney, Gina O’Neill,

May they rest in peace and live in glory in the Lord’s Kingdom

                                                                                                                                                   

Come Holy Spirit.....Fill the hearts of your Faithful



We will now say together the prayer to be missionary disciples.



Cluster prayer

Lord continue to bless our community in this time of transition.

Help us on our journey to grow from a maintenance church to a missionary church.
Give us the courage to be missionary disciples.
Make our doors wide enough to receive all who need human love and fellowship; narrow enough to shut out all envy, pride and prejudice.

Kindle in us the fire of your love that all who come here will find joy, peace and love.

Make this a house of prayer and a gateway to your kingdom.

AMEN

Preparing for next week -  The Most Holy Trinity

John 16:12-15 - ‘All that the Father has is mine; the Spirit will take what is mine and declare it to you.’

At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, ‘I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.’


This is the gospel of the Lord. Commentary on the readings.


Questions for reflection (framed for a group discussion)


The gospel today is part of a longer "farewell" speech by Jesus during the Last Supper. We hear Jesus saying to his disciples that there is more for him to tell, but that it is the Holy Spirit who will tell them and will guide them as they try to live out the gospel without Jesus being physically present. In this way he begins to talk of the Trinity. 


To understand the Trinity is not simple but it might be helpful to look at it in a modern way. The Trinity comprises three aspects - the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. One way of looking at it, is like the way our phone or laptop is kept up to date. The Son has shown us how to use it and the Holy Spirit provides the unseen updates we receive to keep it working as times change. 


Such a metaphor however frivolous can be the beginning of understanding that the spirit of truth is with us always and is intimately connected to the Son and the Father. The essential message is unchanging, no new information is given but the world changes. Currently we see much in our world which is different from the challenges faced by earlier generations but they are different manifestations of the same thing - the spirit of truth will help us to live out our Christian faith in a time of climate emergency, rising inequality and lack of respect for human rights. 


  1. How has your faith developed over the years - showing not that you have learnt more information, but have deepened your understanding?
  2. In what difficult situation has the Holy Spirit helped you see more clearly?*


 * All second questions © The Pastoral Center