Gospel for May 28 2023 – John 20: 19-23
Gospel Reflections for May 28 2023
Words of Love…
Not too long after Jesus ascends into Heaven, which we celebrated last week, over 100 men and women disciples of Jesus are hiding in a room for fear of the crowd outside. The people who killed Jesus are still out there and looking for them! Jesus had always been nearby, and now He was gone. How could they go on?
Then the Holy Spirit arrives as a powerful wind and fire. Look what happens next.
They burst out of hiding in that locked room and head right for that hostile crowd! They boldly spoke to everyone with confidence and courage that completely changed the crowd from hostile …to conversion! They could not have done this on their own. It was the power of the Holy Spirit that led them right to the people who had earlier frightened them.
Amazingly, even though they speak their own Aramaic language, people from different countries in the crowd can miraculously understand them. This miracle has an ancient origin.
Shortly after the time of Adam and Eve, people once again sinned with great pride and arrogantly tried to build a tall tower that would challenge God’s power (Genesis 11:1-9). This is the famous Tower of Babel story. However, the people suddenly find they can no longer understand each other and so their arrogant project collapses. Their different languages divide them from each other.
In today’s Gospel, the disciples speak the language of love, and everyone understands their heartfelt words! People from different countries understood their words even though the disciples only spoke their native Aramaic.
Their words of love, inspired by the Holy Spirit, unites them to the crowd, and everyone in the crowd to each other. That is what words of love do. Thousands were baptized that day!
Everyone at the time of Jesus would have recognized this miracle of language at Pentecost as the correction to the pride of the builders of the Tower of Babel. No wonder so many chose to follow Our Lord with their Baptism that day.
All family activities, or parish programs and events, and even parish building projects, should always have the same goal, which is always about showing the love of God. That will always and only be what unites us together. Never needed more than now!
God Bless!
Fr. Dave
I love celebrating Pentecost Sunday and the choir singing “ Come Holy Ghost” and other Hymns for the occasion especially the old Gospel Song of “ Sweet Sweet Spirit”. Sung slowly with great reverence by Pamela Larson in a lilting Soprano voice that brings a tear or two in the joining Congregation.
We have great times in our Faith to appreciate the Liturgical Feast Days we have each year to remind us of those times in History that mean so much to our belief and reliance on our Creator.
There’s a Sweet Sweet Spirit in this place. And I know it’s the Spirit of the Lord.
There are sweet expressions on each face and I know you feel the presence of the Lord.
Happy Pentecost Sunday and Memorial Day to All.
Thank you for your very beautiful and poetic reflection!
More really great insight by Fr. Dave into the gospel. I sent it to all my friends and family.
So did I Larry. Great ideas generated with Father Dave at the Helm. Tom
Thank you. I hope they like it!
Pentecost is a teaching moment when the Holy Spirit wants everyone
to hear the good news about Jesus.
May our hearts b filled with His love on His special day!
Yes, Pentecost is the greatest teaching moment of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
Beautiful words F,ather Dave,
Love in everything we do and encounter, we show the love of our precious God!!!! Loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee it!! let’s all liveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee it and what a beautiful world we would haveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!
Guess who Someone who also loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees vowels!!!! and Loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!
Loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee you!!!!!!!
Thank you!
Dear Father Dave,
Thank you for this enlightening post!
Everything about our faith is of epoch proportion!
It’s the music of heaven….
God bless.
Kathleen
Yes, well said!