I left Manila for good on June 5, 2022. It was Pentecost Sunday. I was sent to Canada, the second largest country  in the world, as a missionary. It was an auspicious day because Pentecost is when the Holy Spirit came down to the Apostles to strengthen them and give them courage, hope, joy, resilience, and enthusiasm to spread God’s Word to all men. 

My plane landed in Toronto on June 5th, still Pentecost Sunday. It was as if the Lord was telling me to not be afraid. He assured me that He is with me as my new journey starts—and all throughout this mission. That day, God whispered in my heart, “Peace be with you, Monching, for I am the one sending you.” 

The world is big, and people need to know and experience God’s love. He sends not just me, not just the religious, but all of us! May the Spirit that spread like fire to the Apostles give us courage and determination to go out to the world and make His love known to all men. 

Monching Bueno (ramon_bueno@yahoo.com)

reflect

What is God calling you to do today? Whenever you feel doubt or fear, pray. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you courage and strength. 

Holy Spirit, come into our lives. Pour out a mighty anointing upon us. May Your favor be always upon us. Amen. 

St. William of York, pray for us.

First Reading | Acts 2:1-11

Pentecost is one of the most exciting celebrations of the Church. We celebrate the many gifts of the Holy Spirit that empower us to live as men and women of Christ. It is a day for us to open our hearts and minds to the possibilities that faith in Christ brings to us. The Apostles are no longer afraid and locked in a small room as we read today. The Apostles are set free to proclaim the Gospel fearlessly and without any care in the world.

¹ When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. ² And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. ³ Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. ⁴ And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim. ⁵ Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem. ⁶ At this sound, they gathered in a large crowd, but they were confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language. ⁷ They were astounded, and in amazement they asked, “Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans? ⁸ Then how does each of us hear them in his own native language? ⁹ We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, ¹⁰ Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene, as well as travelers from Rome, ¹¹ both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs, yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues of the mighty acts of God.”

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 104:1, 24, 31, 34, 29-30 

R: Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.

¹ Bless the Lord, O my soul! O Lord, my God, you are great indeed! ²⁴ How manifold are your works, O Lord! The earth is full of your creatures. (R) ³¹ May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord be glad in his works! ³⁴ Pleasing to him be my theme; I will be glad in the Lord. (R)  ²⁹ If you take away their breath, they perish and return to their dust. ³⁰ When you send forth your spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth. (R)

Second Reading | Romans 8:8-17 (or 1 Corinthians 12:3-7, 12-13)

The Holy Spirit gives us the power to bring about God’s Kingdom. The Spirit does not just help us to pray; He also empowers us to act and proclaim the Gospel. Today, we rejoice in everything that the Spirit enables us to become disciples in the hope of the resurrection. Let us pray for the grace to stop grieving the Spirit with our inaction and lack of faith, and live as children of God.

⁸ Brothers and sisters: Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. ⁹ But you are not in the flesh; on the contrary, you are in the spirit, if only the Spirit of God dwells in you. Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. ¹⁰ But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the spirit is alive because of righteousness. ¹¹ If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also, through his Spirit that dwells in you. ¹² Consequently, brothers and sisters, we are not debtors to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. ¹³ For if you live according to the flesh, you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. ¹⁴ For those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. ¹⁵ For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a Spirit of adoption, through which we cry, “Abba, Father!” ¹⁶ The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, ¹⁷ and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.   

Gospel | John 14:15-16, 23-26 (or John 20:19-23)

The Holy Spirit has varied roles in our lives. Let us never underestimate what the Spirit desires to do with us. Sometimes, our doubts hinder the progress of the work of the Church. Let us be part of the solution, not of the problem. Let us allow the Holy Spirit in all He desires to do in us and the Church.

Gospel Acclamation

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love.

¹⁵ Jesus said to his disciples: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. ¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always. ²³ “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him. ²⁴ Those who do not love me do not keep my words; yet the word you hear is not mine but that of the Father who sent me. ²⁵ “I have told you this while I am with you. ²⁶ The Advocate, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.”

Read the Bible in one year! Read 1 KINGS 12 - 14 today.

It was definitely no less than a time of confusion, chaos, pain, and suffering. Their Master had died an ignominious death; their dreams snuffed out; His teachings running the imminent and risk of being forgotten. And as if chaos and confusion weren’t enough, the disciples were also huddled and holed up together for fear of the Jews.

Just a few weeks before, they were all mesmerized by teachings about a kingdom that was to be established, a kingdom that would have no end. Not so many moons before, the one who came in the name of the Lord marched triumphantly into Jerusalem and throngs welcomed Him.

But there they were—an anonymous and unnumbered lot hiding in the Upper Room, holed up in fear. Who exactly they were and how many, we were not told. But we are sure of one thing—they had no joy, and they had no peace. They were fearful and anxious. And they were neither in a position nor in the mood for any celebration. They were in mourning. Some might even have been angry, sad, disappointed, or abandoned.

It was the worst of times. It was the seeming end of it all. The triumphal march, the many signs and wonders, the healing and miracles. All that ended one tragic Friday. And it was not worthy of being called “good” at all. I am reminded of a poem by Christina Rosetti. “I have no words, no wit, no tears . . . I lift mine eyes, but dimmed with grief, no everlasting hills I see . . . My life is in the falling leaf.”

 The disciples had hit rock bottom. But as they say, it is always darkest just before dawn. The dawn was breaking; the Spirit pouring! Today, the Risen Lord comes shining through. He comes and reveals Himself once again, on a higher plane, in a different way, not just now, but for always, for all time. He comes and brings joy. He gives peace. He breathes power—the Spirit from above. 

It is Pentecost day. Rise and shine, for the Spirit has been poured to us. 

Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

reflection question

How do you celebrate Pentecost?

I rejoice with the entire Church today! Lord, may we always hold on to Your Spirit, despite all the tribulations that we experience in the world. Amen. 

Today, I pray for: _____________________________________