Theme of the Day: The Risen Savior Has Not Left Us Alone
Jesus told his disciples that, though he was going to ascend into heaven, he wasn’t going to leave them alone. He was going to send “the Advocate,” a title for the Holy Spirit. But Jesus wasn’t sending the Spirit just to keep us company. Jesus would have the Advocate give us his gifts. Here is the final resurrection reality. The Spirit gives us the words to raise the spiritually dead to life.
We see this happen on Pentecost. The festival of Pentecost was held fifty days after the Passover. (Pentecost is Greek for “fifty.”) It was a time to thank God for the harvest. But on that day, through the Church at work, the Holy Spirit gathered another harvest, a harvest of souls. Therefore, Pentecost is the third great festival of the Church, along with the Nativity and the Resurrection. With the Festival of Pentecost, the festival half of the Church Year comes to a close.
John 15:26-27,16:4b-11
Ezekiel 37:1-14
Acts 2:1-21
Psalm 104A
479 – God’s Holy Spirit Came
585 – Come, Holy Ghost, God and Lord
596 – To God the Holy Spirit Let Us Pray
589 – Creator Spirit, by Whose Aid
588 – Come, O Come, Life-Giving Spirit
Prayer of the Day: Holy Spirit, God and Lord, come to us this joyful day with your sevenfold gift of grace. Rekindle in our hearts the holy fire of your love that in a true and living faith we may tell abroad the glory of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Father, one God, now and forever.
Gospel Acclamation: Alleluia. Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful people, and kindle in them the fire of your love. Alleluia.