May 15,
2016
Gospel:
Jn 20:19-23
On the evening of that first day of the week (1), when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the
Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples
rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you.
As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed (2) on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit (3). Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained (4).”
The difficult words
(1) The first
day of the week is Sunday, and in this case, Easter Sunday.
(2) To
breathe on someone was a sign of sharing with them the spirit within you.
Jesus thus gives the Apostles the Holy Spirit.
(3) The Holy Spirit empowers
the Apostles to forgive sins. In the name of Jesus, they are given the power to
forgive the bad things that someone has done.
(4) To retain means to keep or
remember something. Hence, to retain a sin
means not to forgive it.
This week’s spotlight
Pentecost
On
the day of Pentecost, the apostles received the Holy Spirit. He freed them from their fear and they were able to speak
about Jesus. Some 3,000 people gathered all around them that day and were
baptized. This first assembly of believers became the Church. Today, Christians
celebrate Pentecost as the birth of the Church.
The Holy Spirit
The
Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God which Jesus promised to his apostles. It is
after the death and resurrection of Jesus that the Holy Spirit was given to
them. Thanks to the Holy Spirit, the apostles had the courage they needed to go
out and announce the Good News: "Jesus, the one who was put to death, God
has resurrected him. We are witnesses of this.” Today, the Holy Spirit is
present in the heart of each man, woman, and child. We too, just like the
apostles, are invited to live and to announce the marvels of God.
Reflection
So I
send you
In this Sunday's Gospel, Jesus gives his
Apostles a mission: "As the Father has sent me, so I send you." God
never gives a mission, however, without giving the power needed to fulfill that
mission. That's why Jesus then says: "Receive the Holy Spirit." We
too have received a mission and the strength to fulfill it. At our baptism we
too became Apostles, sent out into the world to proclaim the Good News and to
live as the children of God. The Holy Spirit is God's gift that empowers us to
accomplish the mission entrusted to us. He is God's love dwelling in our hearts
and helping us to love one another. God's love is so great that, even when we
fail to love, his mercy and forgiveness are available through the ministry of
the Church. Thank you, Father, for the Holy Spirit! Thank you, Jesus, for the
forgiveness of sins!
Discussion
questions
1.Why were the
disciples behind locked doors?
2.What gift does
Jesus give the disciples?
3.Name all the symbols for the Holy Spirit found in these readings.
4.What happens to the
disciples when they receive the gift of the Holy Spirit?
5.How did the Holy
Spirit help the disciples?
6. How
is the Holy Spirit present within us?
7.How does
celebrating Pentecost help you to remember your baptism?
After receiving Holy Communion, you can
say this prayer
silently to yourself. If you have not yet received your First Communion, you
can still
say this prayer
because of your desire to receive Jesus.
Father,
through Jesus, in communion with the whole Church, I thank you for coming into
my heart. Father; through this communion with the body and blood of your Son, give
me the gift of your Holy Spirit, your Spirit of strength and love, your Spirit
of justice and courage. With his help, I will know how to spread your
love to all those around me.
This week…
Calling upon the Spirit
Sit down comfortably in your prayer corner and
say your morning and evening prayers to the Holy Spirit. Ask him to pour his
love upon you. Also call upon the Spirit to help you share his love with all
the people you meet.
Be a good observer
On a piece of paper that you will keep in your
prayer corner; write down the names of five people (your parents, your brothers
and sisters, your friends). This week, for each of these people, write down a
quality or gift from God which makes them particularly special to you.
Crossword Puzzle
Source: http://www.usccb.org - Magnifikid - www.sermons4kids.com – http://www.loyolapress.com - http://usccb.org/bible/readings-audio.cfm