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Pentecost Sunday

May 24, 2015

Gospel : Jn 20:19-23

On the evening of that first day of the week, 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 on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive (1) are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain (2) are retained.”

The difficult words

(1) 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.

(2) To retain means to keep or remember of something. Hence, to retain a sin means not to forgive it.

This week’s spotlight

Pentecost in Jerusalem

When the apostles receive the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, why are there so many people in Jerusalem? At the time of Jesus, all the Jews came to Jerusalem from all over the world for Passover. Fifty days later, the Jews celebrated another feast “Shavuot”, which is the gift of the law from God to Moses on Mount Sinai. Many Jews remained in Jerusalem for this celebration. Because the Jews spoke many languages, the Spirit gave each apostle the ability to speak in these languages so that they could proclaim the Good News to all of the Jewish people.

Prayers and the Holy Spirit

During the Eucharistic prayer of the Mass, the priest asks God to send down his Holy Spirit. We call this the “epiclesis.” The Church asks the Father to send his Holy Spirit (or the power of his blessing) on the bread and wine, so that by his power they may become the body and blood of Jesus Christ. Later the priest prays for the Holy Spirit to make those who take part in the Eucharist to be one body and one spirit.

Reflection

Come, Holy Spirit

This Sunday is the feast of Pentecost, when we recall how Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to his disciples. Sunday's readings tell us that the Holy Spirit is like a breath of air, or like fire. When the Holy Spirit breathes on the disciples, they are able to speak in languages they didn’t even know moments before. How amazing! However, the Holy Spirit is not someone magical who turns us into geniuses without our having to make any effort! The Holy Spirit helps us understand God’s Word and to live God’s own life because he is the Spirit of love. God sends the Spirit to be our guide here on earth now that Jesus has gone to heaven. The Holy Spirit will always accompany you if you ask him each day: “Come, Holy Spirit! Come, Spirit of God! Visit me and stay with me.”

Discussion questions

1. What did Jesus said to the disciples when he appeared among them?

2. How did they feel when they recognized Jesus?

3. Who sent Jesus to the world?

4. What did Jesus give to the disciples by breathing on them?

5. What can the disciples do with the help of the Holy Spirit?

Praying after Communion

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. You sent your Holy Spirit to consecrate the bread and the wine. They have become the body and the blood of your Son Jesus. May this communion help us always to live in your Spirit, so that we may do good things and spread the Good News.

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Source: http://www.usccb.org - Magnifikid - www.sermons4kids.com

Seven Sunday of Easter - Solemnity of The Ascension of the Lord - Year B

May 17, 2015

Gospel : Mk 16:15-20

Jesus said to his disciples: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned (1). These signs (2) will accompany (3) those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. They will pick up serpents with their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” So then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God. But they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed (4) the word through accompanying signs.

The difficult words

(1) To condemned means judged as guilty and worthy of punishment.

(2) Signs are miracles.

(3) To accompany means to go together with something.

(4) To confirm means to prove some true.

This week’s spotlight

The Ascension

When we pray the Our Father, we say that God is "in heaven." Where is "heaven"? Heaven is not the place in the sky where the birds fly, but rather the invisible place where God is! At the time of his ascension, Jesus returns to the heavenly realm where his Father dwells. Even though we can no longer see him, we believe that Jesus is always with us and watches over us alongside God the Father.

The kingdom of heaven

In the Bible, the “kingdom of heaven" and the "kingdom of God” mean the same thing. The first expression is used in Matthew's Gospel, which follows the Jewish tradition of never pronouncing God's name. The kingdom is not a place - it is a way of life, a way of loving God and obeying his commandments. No one sees the kingdom because we are living in it already when we live according to God’s word. Whenever we follow God’s will, we allow him to reign over us like a king rules over his realm. When we pray “Thy kingdom come," we are praying that all people will accept God as their king.

Reflection

Go out into the world

For forty days after Jesus' resurrection, he appeared to many people, including Mary Magdalene, the disciples on the road to Emmaus, and the apostles. During this time, the disciples continued to feel Jesus’ presence. They talked to him, learned from him, and also got used to living without seeing him face-to-face. Even when they didn’t see him, they knew he was near when they shared stories about his life and celebrated the Eucharist. Today we remember Jesus’ ascension into heaven, his going home to his Father.We can no longer see him as his first disciples did, but we do know this for sure: Jesus Christ rose from the dead and is alive for ever. He is always with us! Although someone your age can't go out on the road and preach like Jesus' disciples, you can share the Good News in very simple ways. Today, just as in Jesus’ time, there are many children and adults who don’t really know the good news of his love. Let’s all be his messengers!

Discussion questions

1.What did Jesus say to the disciples?

2.What happened after that?

3.Who will be saved?

4.Who will be condemned?

5.What can those who believe in God do?

6.What did the disciples do after the Lord Jesus was taken up into heaven?

7.Who worked with them?

Praying after Communion

Father, through Jesus, in communion with the whole Church, I thank you for coming into my heart. We have heard and understand the mission that your Son Jesus has entrusted to us. May this communion in his body and his blood give us the strength also to announce the Good News that we have received.

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