As Apollos leaves for Corinth, Paul enters the city of Ephesus and begins to help new Christians grow in their faith.
Mass Readings – Monday of the 7th Week of Easter
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Tag Archives: Holy Spirit
Daily Mass: Paul at work in Ephesus. Catholic Inspiration
Study, Pray, Serve: Pentecost
The feast of Pentecost brings the season of Easter to a stunning conclusion with several Scripture options, depending on the Mass you attend and the choice of the presider. Let’s take a look:
Vigil Mass
- Genesis 11:1-9 – The tower of Babel
- Exodus 19:3-8,16-20 – Moses leads the people to meet God at the foot of Mount Sinai
- Ezekiel 37:1-14 – God brings the Spirit and restores the dried bones to life
- Joel 3:1-5 – God will pour the Spirit upon the people
- Psalm 104 – “Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.”
- Romans 8:22-27 – The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness
- John 7:37-39 – Jesus speaks of the Spirit as a living water that flows from within
Mass during the Day
- Acts 2:1-11 – The Holy Spirit descends upon the disciples and they speak many different languages
- Psalm 104 – “Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.”
- 1 Corinthians 12:3-7,12-13 – The Spirit gives many different gifts and unites the many parts of the body
- Galatians 5:16-25 – Live and be guided by the Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit
- John 20:19-23 – Jesus breathes on the disciples, offering them peace and the Holy Spirit
- John 15:26-27; 16:12-15 – Jesus speaks of the Spirit of truth, the Advocate
These readings are all powerful reminders that the Holy Spirit is among us! May we call upon the Spirit each and every day for the strength and wisdom we need as we strive to offer our lives for the Lord.
Come Holy Spirit! Fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit, and they shall be created. And you will renew the face of the earth. O God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations. Through Christ our Lord. Amen!
Mass Readings – Pentecost
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Study, Pray, Serve: The Ascension of the Lord
Study: What do the readings say?
Pray: What do the readings say to me?
Serve: What do the readings make me do or say…today?
Let’s take a look at some of the main themes we find in the Scripture readings for the Ascension of the Lord.
1st Reading – Acts 1:1-11
- The introduction serves as a bridge between the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles (both written by the same author.)
- The apostles will receive the power of the Holy Spirit and proclaim the Good News to “the ends of the earth.”
Psalm 47:2-3,6-7,8-9
- The Church applies this psalm directly to the triumph of Jesus as he ascends to Heaven.
- We rejoice over the victory of our God!
2nd Reading – Option 1 – Ephesians 1:17-23
- A prayer for wisdom and understanding for all disciples.
- Reviews the supremacy of Christ over all things.
2nd Reading – Option 2 – Ephesians 4:1-13
- An invitation to live a life that is worthy of the call that we have received.
- We have received gifts to be shared for the building up of the body of Christ.
Gospel – Mark 16:15-20
- Christ commands his disciples to “go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.”
- The disciples will be filled with power and able to perform many different signs.
- Christ ascends into Heaven; the disciples carry out his mission.
Mass Readings – The Ascension of the Lord
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Note: This post was first published on May 10, 2021.
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Study, Pray, Serve: 6th Sunday of Easter
Study: What do the readings say?
Pray: What do the readings say to me?
Serve: What do the readings make me do or say…today?
Let’s take a look at some of the major themes in the Scripture readings for the 6th Week of Easter.
1st Reading – Acts 10:25-26,34-35,44-48
- The Holy Spirit comes upon Cornelius and other Gentiles, and Peter has them all baptized.
- Note: usually the Spirit comes after one is baptized; here it occurs before.
Psalm 98:1,2-3,3-4
- The earth offers a joyful song of praise for the salvation of God.
- The Lord’s victory is revealed through his kindness, justice and and faithfulness.
2nd Reading – 1 John 4:7-10
- We love one another because love is of God.
- Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love.
- God sent his Son into the world, because God loves us.
Gospel – John 15:9-17
- Our love for God leads us to keep his commandments.
- We have been chosen by God to keep his commandment to love one another and bear (spiritual) fruit that will remain.
Mass Readings – 6th Sunday of Easter
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Note: This post was first published on May 3, 2021.
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Daily Mass: Jesus Christ is the bread of life. Catholic Inspiration
Following the death of Stephen the disciples face violent persecution even as they continue to grow in numbers and perform amazing deeds in the name of Jesus.
Mass Readings – Wednesday of the 3rd Week of Easter
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Daily Mass: The faith that fosters courage and casts out fear. Catholic Inspiration
The power of the Holy Spirit and the joy of the resurrection shine forth in the apostles as they confront the threat of death for proclaiming the Good News of Jesus. Their witness inspires us to face our fears as we embrace our faith.
Mass Readings – Thursday of the 2nd Week of Easter
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Daily Mass: Choosing the fire of the Holy Spirit for our hearts. Catholic Inspiration
The daily readings proclaim God’s goodness and power. As Jesus comes to light the fire of the Holy Spirit in our world we are confronted with a choice: to accept God’s path or walk away. What will we choose?
Mass Readings – Thursday of the 29th Week of the Year
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Daily Mass: We are sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit. Catholic Inspiration
In the Letter to the Ephesians we who have been chosen by God and believe in Christ are sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit. May we call upon the Spirit every day for strength and wisdom!
Mass Readings – Friday of the 28th Week of the Year
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The Most Holy Trinity
Study: Reflect on the strongest relationships in our lives. What qualities and characteristics are present?
Pray: Ask the Lord for the guidance to see where we can build and renew our relationships.
Serve: Are there people around us that we need to forgive or assist? What steps can we take right now to start this process?
Mass Readings – The Most Holy Trinity
One God…Three Persons.
That’s the Trinity, and when you get right down to it, this central mystery of the Christian faith is just that – mystery. I have heard and used many images as illustrations to aid in understanding the Trinity:
- Shamrock – one leaf, three petals
- Water – one substance, three states (solid, liquid, gas)
- Numbers – one meaning, many languages (five, cinque, etc…)
These examples (and many like them) try to get at the notion of how something can be the same and different at the same time. How unity and diversity can be present at the same time; how the individual and the communal are manifested simultaneously.
It’s a mystery.
And at the heart of the mystery we have a communion of Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit – a revelation that God comes to us in communion and invites us to be communion with others. We are not alone! God (in communion) invites us into this communion to create communion with one another.
Where do we find communion in our lives? Some obvious places:
- Home & Family
- Work
- School
- Neighborhood
You get the idea. Wherever two or more are present, the opportunity for communion is possible. The point: How strong is the communion we have have with God and one another? How united are we in faith, hope, and love?
May we reflect on the current state of our relationships today and renew them, allowing the grace of God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – to bless the communion we have with those around us.
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Trinity, Andrei Rublev; 1411-1427 (est.), Tempera, 142 cm x 114 cm, Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow.
This post was originally published on May 26, 2015.
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Daily Mass: We work together with the Holy Spirit. Catholic Inspiration
Paul and Apollos both had important tasks to do at different times and different cities; our lives uniquely build up the Body of Christ when we offer our lives and call upon the Holy Spirit for guidance.
Mass Readings – Monday of the 7th Week of Easter
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Catholic Inspiration – Podcast Archives of Homilies & Talks- Daily Mass: God works through Paul in prison
- Daily Mass: The Gospel is accepted in Philippi
- Study, Pray, Serve: Ascension of the Lord
- 6th Sunday of Easter: When we walk together in faith, we mentor one another
- Daily Mass: St. Paul is guided by the Holy Spirit
- Daily Mass: Our faith in Christ guides our lives
- Daily Mass: The love of Christ guides a crucial discussion in the early Church
- Daily Mass: Our lives are fruitful when we remain close to Christ
- Daily Mass: We persevere with the faith of Christ
- Daily Mass: A case of mistaken identity
Three Great Things 