May 23 - One Bread, One Body
May 23, Pentecost
Cycle B Readings:
1) Acts 2:1-11
Psalm 104:1, 24, 29-31, 34
2) 1 Corinthians 12:3-7, 12-13 or John 20:19-23
Galatians 5:16-25
Fifty-plus
" 'Peace be with you,' He said again. 'As the Father has sent Me, so I send you.' ” — John 20:21
How did your fifty-day Easter season go? Did you shout Alleluia each day? Since Ascension has the Lord worked a miracle in your life? Have you prayed with a new heart in anticipation of Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit? You may be thinking, “I’m tired and can barely make it through the day.”
Don’t despair! Today is a day of new beginnings. It’s not too late to receive the fresh breeze of the Holy Spirit (see Acts 2:2). The Lord knows our weaknesses better than we do. He is a God of encouragement. At the Last Supper, Jesus told the apostles, “I will ask the Father and he will give you another Paraclete –– to be with you always: the Spirit of truth” (Jn 14:16-17). God doesn’t break promises. “Let us hold unswervingly to our profession which gives us hope, for He Who made the promise deserves our trust” (Heb 10:23).
This should put the wind back in our sails. Each of us has a mission. When we were baptized, the Holy Spirit put a seal on our souls (see Eph 4:30). At the end of each Mass, the priest or deacon sends us out into the world to share the Good News: “Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.” The Lord is merciful but also demands we do our part in growing His Kingdom.
Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit!
Promise: “My point is that you should live in accord with the Spirit and you will not yield to the cravings of the flesh.”
Praise: “When You send forth Your Spirit, they are created, and You renew the face of the earth” (Ps 104:30). Father God, we praise You for fulfilling Old Testament prophecies. Come Holy Spirit! Come!
Rescript: In accord with the Code of Canon Law, I hereby grant the Imprimatur ("Permission to Publish") for One Bread, One Body covering the period from April 1, 2021 through May 31, 2021.
†Most Reverend Steve J. Angi, Chancellor, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio August 5, 2020.
The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed.