Adult Initiation & Sacrament Preparation

This Sunday we bring the Easter Season to a close with the celebration of Pentecost – that moment when the Holy Spirit came to the Apostles and whose gifts allowed them to leave the upper room and spread the Gospel to Jerusalem, all of Judea and Samaria, and throughout the world.  It’s the birthday of the Church! The Word for Pentecost Sunday Acts 2-1-11 Psalm 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34 1 Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13 or Galatians 5:16-25 John 20:19-23 or John 15:26-27, 16:12-15 Our Sunday readings open fittingly with the Pentecost story in Acts of the Apostles.  This is the story from which our traditions of this moment originate.  It is after the Ascension and the Apostles are gathered again in the upper room.  Our passage has two distinct parts.  First is the actual descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and those others in the room, followed by the experience of the people in the street after the Apostles leave the upper room. The first line of our passage ...

This Sunday the Church in the USA celebrates the Ascension of the Lord, the moment Jesus, after the resurrection, left us to join his Father in Heaven.  Traditionally the Ascension is celebrated on the Thursday before the 7th Sunday of Easter, 40 days after the resurrection, and 10 days before Pentecost.  The US bishops, however, have opted to celebrate this important Solemnity on Sunday because its message and meaning are important aspects of our faith tradition and should not be missed. The Word for the Ascension of the Lord Acts 1:1-11 Psalm 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9 Ephesians 1:17-23, or 4:1-13, or 4:1-7, 11-13 Mark 16:15-20 We open with the beginning of the Acts of the Apostles.  This book, the sequel to Luke's Gospel, begins like all great sequels, with a recapping of the story thus far.  Like any good writer, Luke takes this time to give us some additional details that were not included in his gospel.  This is the story we hear today in our first reading, and this...

Love.  One small word but it means so much.  The ancient Greeks had at least five different words to describe the different types of emotions love can evoke.  If you had to sum up our entire faith tradition in one word, it would have to be “love.”  Love is how God brought us into existence.  Love is the primary teaching that Jesus gave us.  Love is how the Holy Spirit is made manifest in us today.  Spring is in the air, and so is love… The Word for the 6th Sunday of Easter Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48 Psalms 98:1, 2-3, 3-4 1 John 4:7-10 John 15:9-17 Our first reading from Acts of the Apostles centers on the conversion and baptism of Cornelius, a Roman Centurion.  Cornelius is a foreigner in every sense, yet he is compelled by a vision to seek out Peter.  Peter bravely accepts his invitation, knowing full well that it is against Jewish law to meet with a Gentile.  But Peter knows better – knows that God’s love shows no partiality.  Du...