Texts taken from the “Sulla Tua Parola” Missal May-June 2023
Pentecost Sunday (solemnity) (A)
proper
Evening Mass with the prolonged vigil celebration
FIRST READING
From the Book of Genesis (Gen 11:1-9)
The whole earth had one language and the same words. As they migrated from the east, they came upon a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. They said to one another: “Come, let us make bricks and bake them in the fire.” The bricks served them as stone, and bitumen as mortar. Then they said: “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered over the whole earth.” But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower that the children of man were building. The Lord said: “Behold, they are one people and they all have one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do. Nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech.” So the Lord scattered them from there over the face of all the earth, and they stopped building the city. Therefore it was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth, and from there the Lord scattered them over the face of all the earth. – The word of God.
Commentary on the first reading
The people, who speak one language, want to build a great city and a tower whose top reaches the heavens. Up to this point, there is nothing wrong. The problem lies in the motivation declared immediately afterward: “Let us make a name for ourselves.” In reality, the people already had a name, that of children of God, but they had lost their docility, trust, and spirit of obedience. They want to do things on their own. For this reason God comes down and decides to “confuse their languages.” This is not a punishment; on the contrary, it is the condition for later rediscovering the spirit of unity in the only true way: recognizing ourselves again as children of God, docile and holy, under the action of the Holy Spirit. We can indeed be one people, but we can find this dimension only in the Church, where we are all brothers and sisters and all children of one Father. Then the different languages will find true harmony, and the nations will overcome barriers to become one people, the people of God, that is, the Church. This is our time and also our commitment: to love one another and recognize ourselves as children of one Father in Christ Jesus.
SECOND READING
From the Book of Exodus (Ex 19:3-8a,16-20b)
In those days, Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying: “Thus shall you say to the house of Jacob and declare to the Israelites: ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now, therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples; for all the earth is mine! You shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you shall speak to the Israelites.” So Moses went and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all these words that the Lord had commanded him. All the people answered together and said: “All that the Lord has spoken we will do!” On the third day, as morning dawned, there were thunder and lightning, a thick cloud on the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast; all the people in the camp trembled. Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God. They stood at the foot of the mountain. Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the Lord had descended upon it in fire; its smoke went up like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled greatly. As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him in thunder. The Lord came down upon Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain. Then the Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain. – The word of God.
Commentary on the second reading
This passage from Exodus describes one of the most important scenes in Israel’s journey through the desert toward the Promised Land: God calls Moses up the mountain to receive the tablets of the Law. The scene is grand: the mountain, emitting smoke and fire, “trembled greatly.” From that moment, on receiving the gift of the Decalogue, Israel becomes a true people, with its own “constitution” and a clearly defined identity. This event foreshadows the future Pentecost: fire descends from above, and God gives the new law, no longer written on tablets of stone but in human hearts. The new people, the new Israel, which is the Church, is constituted. The two scenes therefore recall each other, and it is right that on Pentecost we meditate on the fact that the old Law is replaced by the new one, given in the same way to the new people. The law therefore comes from above, makes us the Church, enables us to walk according to God’s directives, and guides us into the kingdom of heaven. Let us then meditate on the identity we receive on Pentecost: there we are born as the Church and as the true people of God.
THIRD READING
From the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel (Ez 37:1-14)
In those days, the hand of the Lord was upon me, and the Lord brought me out in the spirit and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. He made me pass among them all around, and behold, there were very many upon the surface of the valley; and behold, they were very dry. And he said to me: “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered: “O Lord God, you know.” Then he said to me: “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them: ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live. And you shall know that I am the Lord.’” So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to its bone. And as I looked, behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them. Then he said to me: “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath: ‘Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.’” So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army. Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say: ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’ Therefore prophesy, and say to them: ‘Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord. I have spoken, and I will do it.’” Oracle of the Lord God. – The word of God.
Commentary on the third reading
The meaning of Ezekiel’s magnificent vision is twofold. The first concerns the spirit of courage infused anew into a people who, during the exile in Babylon, feel lost, without land, without worship, and without an identity. No, says Ezekiel: God will bring to life corpses that seem dead, that is, without hope, and the Israelites, finally purified through penance, will return to their land as before. Then it will happen that they will be unable to remain faithful, but that is another matter, which opens us to the second perspective: true rebirth, true resurrection, is not simply the historical return to the Holy Land, but a birth into a new life, that is, the great newness of the Holy Spirit poured into our hearts. In the background, then, there is also the resurrection from the dead, which first happened to Christ, but which will happen to everyone at the end of time. Even now we possess the pledge of the Holy Spirit, “to be holy and blameless” (Eph 1:4) in this earthly life, and, if we live in the Spirit, our bodies will then rise at the end to the blessed life of heaven.
FOURTH READING
From the Book of the Prophet Joel (Jl 3:1-5)
Thus says the Lord: “I will pour out my spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy; your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my spirit. And I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and awesome day. And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls.” – The word of God.
Commentary on the fourth reading
This vision of the prophet Joel does not seem to refer directly to Pentecost, because it says that God will pour out his spirit on all flesh and, to emphasize this totality, says that even slaves - people who were not allowed to ask for anything - will receive the spirit. Thus, God will pour out this spirit upon all people, but we know that the Holy Spirit is given to those who ask for it, through the sacrament of Baptism or the other sacraments. Here, then, this is understood as a gift of knowledge for all people, regardless of their acceptance of it. It can be understood that God will give everyone the spirit capable of knowing Christ; everyone will learn that in Jesus God has revealed himself as Savior, and that divine life is communicated in Jesus. Everyone will know this: if not through an external proclamation, they will hear it in the voice of the heart, because God does not allow people to remain ignorant concerning him. Thus, once God is known as Savior, it is enough to invoke his name to be saved, enough to make a sincere act of faith in him.
EPISTLE
From the Letter of Saint Paul the Apostle to the Romans (Rom 8:22-27)
Brothers and sisters, we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons and daughters, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with perseverance. Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings; and he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. – The word of God.
Commentary on the epistle
When we receive the Holy Spirit in Baptism and continually in Holy Communion, all external creation turns to us, pleading to be saved as well. We do not perceive this because it seems to us that the Holy Spirit given to us concerns only our personal relationship with God, as though others were excluded from it. But God is perfect communion, God is charity; he wants everyone to be saved. And what must we do to “save” creation? Love it. By loving everything around us, we take the things we love into ourselves, make them our own, and if God “takes us into himself,” he also takes everything he finds in us. In this way, we can then share in the salvation of the world and of our brothers and sisters. The Holy Spirit places our hearts in an almost impossible condition: we share in the salvation of the world! This requires great commitment from us, but let us not be afraid: God in us will make us love in a new, total way, in such a way that we can even love our enemies. The Christian’s commitment is therefore the same as God’s: to love without measure, even the crosses of life.
GOSPEL OF THE DAY
From the Gospel according to John (Jn 7:37-39)
On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out: “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and let him drink who believes in me. As the Scripture says: ‘Out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water.’” Now he said this about the Spirit, which those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. – The word of the Lord.
Commentary on the Gospel of the day
Usually the Holy Spirit is depicted as fire and, in fact, at Pentecost the Spirit descends upon the apostles in the form of tongues of fire, which is why people often speak of the “fire of the Spirit.” This time, however, it is depicted as water, as the Evangelist emphasizes: “Now he said this about the Spirit.” In itself, the Holy Spirit is neither fire nor water, but these elements of nature describe the action of grace: while fire purifies and warms, water quenches thirst and gives life; one cannot live without water, though one can live without fire. Thus, the symbol is clear: one cannot live the true, eternal life without having the Spirit of God within oneself. At the same time, water washes, removes dirt, and refreshes heated limbs. Therefore, receiving the Holy Spirit means both being purified from sins and entering eternal life. And all this depends on Jesus: “Let anyone who thirsts come to me.” We must not go to anyone else, because it is he who obtained it for us through his sacrifice on the cross and his love for humanity. “The Father will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him” (Lk 11:13). The Spirit must therefore be requested! It does not act automatically; we must desire it.
At the Mass of the day
FIRST READING
From the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 2:1-11)
When the day of Pentecost was being fulfilled, they were all together in the same place. Suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and wondered, saying: “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? We are Parthians and Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs - we hear them telling in our own languages the mighty works of God.” – The word of God.
Commentary on the first reading
The first effect of the Holy Spirit is “glossolalia,” that is, the ability to speak in other languages. This may seem strange, especially because this phenomenon no longer occurs today: if someone is baptized, they do not suddenly begin speaking ten or twenty new languages. And yet this was the first and immediate effect of Pentecost: words spoken in Aramaic, the language of the apostles, were understood by people of other nationalities. The same is said of Padre Pio: a German who went to confession to him testified that the friar spoke German, but in fact he did not know that language at all: he spoke in Italian, and the German understood him in German. The Holy Spirit, then, makes divine words understood beyond the abilities of the speaker. This is the power of the Gospel, proclaimed with boldness: it reaches hearts and touches them, because the soul understands the language of God, having been created by him. The holy Curé of Ars stammered, but converted people; perhaps a great scholar, but not holy and full of himself, may say lofty things, but does not warm hearts: he does not speak according to the Spirit. The language of God is the language of love, and everyone understands it immediately: this is the effect of Pentecost.
SECOND READING
From the First Letter of Saint Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians (1 Cor 12:3b-7,12-13)
Brothers and sisters, no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except by the Holy Spirit. There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit; there are different kinds of service, but the same Lord; there are different kinds of working, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body - Jews or Greeks, slaves or free - and we were all given to drink of one Spirit. – The word of God.
Commentary on the second reading
The Holy Spirit has the extraordinary ability to bring different things together in unity, so that everything functions wonderfully without conflict between the parts. Saint Paul gives the example of the human body, but we can also compare it to an orchestra. There are many instruments in it: violins, trumpets, flutes, the piano, and so on. Each plays a different part that, taken alone, would be partial, poor, perhaps even monotonous. Each one must study its own part as well as possible and at the same time hope that the others will also play their scores perfectly. The violin does not envy the oboe, and the bassoon does not envy the cello: it is already too occupied with considering what it must do. Then, at the moment of assembly... wonder of wonders: the sound that comes from the whole is something unimaginable to the individual instruments. We are the musicians; God wrote the score; the conductor is the holy Church, which must direct and coordinate. The sound, the final melody, is the voice of the Holy Spirit, which is Love. But everyone is needed!
GOSPEL OF THE DAY
From the Gospel according to John (Jn 20:19-23)
On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors of the place where the disciples were for fear of the Jews were locked. Jesus came and stood among them and said to them: “Peace be with you!” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again: “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them: “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.” – The word of the Lord.
Commentary on the Gospel of the day
In Saint John, Pentecost is not described as it is in the Acts of the Apostles, with tongues of fire settling on each of the apostles gathered in the upper room. In the author of the Fourth Gospel, the gift of the Holy Spirit comes through the direct action of Christ, something that does not appear in the classic Lucan account of Pentecost. Clearly Jesus is also present in the moment represented by the fire descending from above, but in John the gift that comes not so much from “above” but from the Lord Jesus himself, in person, is manifested more clearly. The events, in Luke and John, both took place; there is no error: this gift of the Spirit for the apostles simply means the direct transmission of the priestly power to forgive sins. No human being can take away a sin from another human being; only the Holy Spirit does this. The apostles therefore share in this prerogative, which belongs to God, receiving from God his Spirit, which is “breathed,” given, and transmitted as the true substance of the Lord after his resurrection. The Holy Spirit is the Love of the Father and the Son; the forgiveness of sins is therefore an act of divine love, the true power of Pentecost.
