The Power of the Holy Spirit
Pentecost Sunday – Mass During the Day (B)
Read this Gospel passage aloud to the family
John 15: 26 – 16:15 – Jesus said to his disciples: “When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me. And you also testify, because you have been with me from the beginning..
“I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.”
(Parent) Reread this part a few times aloud
“When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me.”
(Parent) Read this meditation aloud to the family
The events of Pentecost are not recorded in the Gospels, but in the Book of Acts, which picks up where the Gospels leave off. And this is a very important point: there’s more to the story than the Gospels alone. This is the message that Jesus relays to His disciples in today’s Gospel: that there is still important work to be done after His Ascension. In Jesus’ Life, Death, and Resurrection He reveals God to us and accomplishes our salvation. He has completed that work. But now we must accept our salvation, take it in, make it our own, and share it with others. This is the important work that is still to be done. This is the work of the Church. This is the work of evangelization. This is our work. This work will be guided and powered by the Holy Spirit.
We see in today’s awesome celebration how the Holy Spirit brings the saving work of Christ directly into our lives. In the second chapter of Acts, where the Pentecost event is recorded, the Holy Spirit comes to Peter and the apostles and gives them great power—power that is not their own. And they rush out and preach the Good News of Jesus Christ as the Holy Spirit works wonders through them. As the gathering crowd asks what they must do to accept this Good News, to take it in, to make it their own, Peter and the apostles tell them that they must “Repent, and be baptized… and (they) shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” So how do we access the Holy Spirit, His power, and the salvation of Christ? Through the Sacraments that the Church has constantly given us from Her birth at Pentecost, and continues to give us today.
As a family, pray a portion of the Rosary together (very short if children are young) reflecting on the Scripture passage above.(Optional: allow a brief time for discussion or questions from children concerning their thoughts and prayer.)
Reminder for Parents: Pier is just meant to be a jumping off point. The real goal is that you pray & eventually use the fruits of your personal prayer as the content of your family’s prayer. Duc in altum.
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