Pentecost Sunday
First Reading — Acts of the Apostles (2:1-11)
When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.
Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.”
Responsorial Psalm — Psalm 103 (104): 1. 24. 29-31. 34
Response: Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth. (or: Alleluia.)
Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, you are very great. O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. Response.
When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust. When you send forth your spirit, they are created; and you renew the face of the earth. Response.
May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in his works. May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the Lord. Response.
Second Reading — First Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians (12:3b-7. 12-13)
Brothers and sisters: No one can say “Jesus is Lord” except by the Holy Spirit.
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
Sequence — Veni, Sancte Spiritus
Holy Spirit, Lord of light, From the clear celestial height Thy pure beaming radiance give.
Come, thou Father of the poor, Come, with treasures which endure; Come, thou light of all that live!
Thou, of all consolers best, Thou, the soul’s delightful guest, Dost refreshing peace bestow.
Thou in toil art comfort sweet; Pleasant coolness in the heat; Solace in the midst of woe.
Light immortal, light divine, Visit thou these hearts of thine, And our inmost being fill:
If thou take thy grace away, Nothing pure in man will stay; All his good is turned to ill.
Heal our wounds, our strength renew; On our dryness pour thy dew; Wash the stains of guilt away:
Bend the stubborn heart and will; Melt the frozen, warm the chill; Guide the steps that go astray.
Thou, on those who evermore Thee confess and thee adore, In thy sevenfold gifts descend:
Give them comfort when they die; Give them life with thee on high; Give them joys that never end. Amen. Alleluia.
Gospel — According to Saint John (20:19-23)
When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then 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.” When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”