Pentecost Sunday

Today the Church celebrates Pentecost Sunday. The assigned readings are Acts 2:1-11; 1 Corinthians 12:3-7, 12-13; and John 20:19-23. The Responsorial Psalm is Psalm 104 (Psalm 104:1, 24, 29-31, 34).

The Gospel reading is as follows:

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”

Reflections on this day and on these readings:

Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Sundays Salesian: Pentecost Sunday (May 19, 2013)

Vatican Radio: Pope at Pentecost: Newness, harmony and mission (19 MAY 13)

Msgr. Charles Pope: I have Come to Cast a Fire on the Earth – A Meditation on the Feast of Pentecost (18 MAY 13)

Dr. Marcellino D’Ambrosio: Pentecost Feast: The Gifts and Charisms of The Holy Spirit

RI Catholic: The Lectionary: Creator spirit (16 MAY 13)

Word on Fire: Sermon 645: Pentecost and Sinai: Pentecost Sunday

Dr. Scott Hahn: A Mighty Wind (May 19th 2013 - Pentecost Sunday)

The Sacred Page: Readings for Pentecost Sunday (16 MAY 13)

The Word Engaged: The Difference It Makes (Solemnity of Pentecost C)

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for instituting the sacrament of Reconciliation and for the healing You offer through it.

On Encouraging Greater Use of Sacrament of Reconciliation

“Catholic leaders want more people to go to confession. The new pope, Francis, promoted penance in a recent sermon saying it should be considered ‘an encounter with Jesus,’ not ‘a torture session.’

“The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops voted in November to make confession a priority nationwide for this past Lent. At the time, Roman Catholic leaders in the Archdiocese of Hartford were already preparing a Lenten campaign of their own.

“The archdiocese this year publicized its call to confession on 12 radio stations and on billboards, social media and a website, light4you.info. Promotional materials were sent to its churches in Hartford, New Haven and Litchfield counties, translated into Spanish and Polish for some parishes.”

A recent Hartford Courant article reported on this initiative by the Archdiocese of Hartford, CT, and on the efforts to encourage greater reception of this sacrament throughout the Church.

To access this Hartford Courant article, please visit:

Hartford Courant: Catholic Leaders Call Faithful Back To Confession, Report Some Success (18 MAY 13)

Related media report:

Catholic News Service: Archbishop says people returning to confession because of pope (15 MAY 13)

Reflection Starter from Edith Stein

“The nation doesn’t simply need what we have. It needs what we are.” - Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Saint Edith Stein)

Armed Forces Medley

As our observance of Armed Forces Day continues, I offer this presentation of the Armed Forces Medley by the City Lights Orchestra of Chicago:

Armed Forces Day, 2013

Today (Saturday, 18 May) is being observed as Armed Forces Day, 2013. This year’s theme is “Strong and Resilient: Prepared To Meet Any Challenge.”

President Harry S Truman led the effort to establish a single holiday for citizens to come together and thank our military members for their patriotic service in support of our country.

On 31 August 1949, Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson announced the creation of an Armed Forces Day to replace separate Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force Days. The single-day celebration stemmed from the unification of the Armed Forces under one department – the U.S. Department of Defense.

As we observe this day, we salute the members of our communities who are currently serving and have served in the U.S. Armed Forces.

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the many types of bread Your people have developed in various cultures.

Pope Francis on Following the Example of Jesus

“Christians who buy into Satan’s temptation to live selfishly get swindled, while those who live life as a ‘gift’ to others are immersed in love and the Church community, Pope Francis said. [in a recent homily].

“‘And, we must say, with Satan the payback is rotten. He always rips us off, always!’ the Pope emphasized as he contrasted the kind of selfish living that the devil promotes with the generous way of living Jesus exemplified.

In a recent homily on John 15, Pope Francis compared the way of living one’s life just for him/herself with living life “as a gift to give to others.”

To access a Catholic News Agency report on this homily, please visit:

Catholic News Agency: Satan 'always rips us off,' Pope warns (14 MAY 13)