Gospel for June 5th 2022 – John 14:8-17
Gospel Reflections for June 5th 2022: Pentecost
Breaking news!
You might worry whenever you see that notice on TV. It often means a new horrific crime. This Pentecost Sunday can help change your view. It begins with over 100 disciples in a locked room.
They are huddled together after the crucifixion of Jesus and afraid of the angry crowd outside. Perhaps that crowd will crucify them as they did Jesus! But then something amazing happens.
The Holy Spirit comes upon them as a flame of love …and they are transformed into courageous preachers of the person of Jesus. That is what the power of true and authentic love can do.
An old man walks into the confessional and says, “I am 80 years old, and I just got married to a wonderful woman half my age …and I’m Jewish.” The priest says, “You are 80 years old …you just married a woman half your age …but you are Jewish! …Why are you telling me?” The old man says, “Telling you? …I’m telling everybody!”
When you have good news about new love in your heart you want everyone to know! The disciples changed from fear to powerful love, and they burst out of a locked room to tell everyone!
There is a lot said about school shooters today. Their stories often include bullying and persecution by cruel classmates. No wonder shooters seek revenge. They have no love in their heart anymore. (See my article, Reflections on Mass Shootings)
There have been few groups of people more persecuted than the early Christians, yet they never sought revenge. What made the difference? They knew the image of Jesus crucified on a cross who declared His love for all despite His persecution. The first Christians found a purpose in bringing His love to people no matter how they were treated! They wanted everyone to know God’s love.
There are good ideas to fix this problem of school shooters, like monitoring social media, new gun buying laws, and better background checks. Wounded people will still seek revenge unless that suffering can turn into service to others.
Ironically, wounded people have a special insight about suffering …and with God’s grace can turn their deep pain into compassion for others who have also been hurt and a desire to help them. That new purpose can be their salvation. Their experience of pain can bring healing to those who also suffer.
This Pentecost Sunday offers the great breaking news of the lasting love of God …especially in your suffering. Let everyone know!
God Bless!
Fr. Dave
Excellent as always relating God’s love and word to current day challenges. Many thanks, Argyle
You are welcome!
Your reflection has great meaning to me. Thank you!
You are welcome!
Thank you Fr Dave for your great insights!
Come Holy Spirit, fill our hearts with trust in You
knowing that you are guiding us through the disturbing evil
that surrounds us.,
Yes, we need the Holy Spirit now more that ever!
YES….”love” from the Holy Spirit on Pentecost!!!..Exactly!!! You are right on!!!
My “Pentecost” was Dec. 8, 1975….with the Love of the Father pouring into and out of me by the power of the Holy Spirit….as “tongues” and tears poured out of me with my hands magnetically reaching upwards to God the Father!! My “Pentecost”….never to be forgotten…..after all these years!! Laus Deo, Thank you Lord!!!!
Thank you for sharing that moment with all of us! Praise be God!
Dear Father Dave,
The miracle of Pentecost and its sustaining strength touches our lives constantly.
Wounded but changed by the power of love is a clear and earth-shattering message.
As always, thank you for today’s beautiful Gospel synopsis.
God bless….
Kathleen
You are most welcome!
I just read your article on shootings. It contains such a wealth of information and your spiritual advice will help me to keep things in perspective during the week when I am out there in the real world. Thank-You! I just wanted to make a comment on the second amendment.
When the founding fathers penned the second amendment, they never envisioned that future Americans would open fire on small children in school, or people shopping at a grocery store or people praying in a church. They were concerned that we might be invaded by Spain, France, or Holland, and that they would have to push the invaders back, as they had just done with England. This was the 1780’s – it was an era of European military empires which were the biggest threat to this newly emerging country. Back when the second amendment was written, an exceptionally skilled rifleman might be able to send off three rounds in a minute. Back then, aim mattered.
Today, we are the biggest threat to our country. We shoot our own. Today, any unhinged 18-year-old can obtain an AR-15 replica that is capable of discharging 45 rounds per minute from a company that sells directly to customers on a buy-now pay later plan. With this type of gun, aim is beside the point.
Gun control works. England has proven it. New Zealand and Australia have proven it. Americans need to step up and prove it too.
Your analysis of history is accurate. “We the people” certainly have the power to change the constitution and the Second Amendment in the manner it clearly describes. Perhaps that will happen with enough popular support. Until then, the Second Amendment stands as is. I am always in favor of “People Control” as well as gun control, which means the teaching of morality much more in schools. There is almost never a shooting in a Catholic school. I am grateful for that. We focus on morality a lot with our students. Perhaps that is the difference.
MY QUESTION IS WHY THE SELLER NOT NOTIFY POLICE AS SOON AS HE SOLD THE AR-15 RIFLE AND AMMO?
If there were more rigorous background checks that could stop a sale to an inappropriate buyer. I believe the Texas shooter did have some prior problems so, apparently, it was a failure of the background check system.