THE GOSPEL
John 20:19-23
John 17:1-11a (Vigil)And when he has said this, he breathed on them and said to them,
“Receive the Holy Spirit.”
Fiery
Spirit of Love,
O Father of the Poor,
Warmth in a Land of Chill,
Comforter of Us All: rich, poor:
prisoners of global virus.
Breathe your life
into our
dying
hearts
and souls.
Now, more than ever
we ask you to bestow upon our beings
knowledge, wisdom, understanding, courage.
Oh, send us out to the whole earth.
Let your fire,
smoldering in us,
light up all on our path.
Aloud we cry,
Veni Sancte Spiritus!
THE FIRST READING
Acts 2:1-11
Genesis 11:1-9 (Vigil)
or Exodus 19:3-8a, 16-20b
or Ezekiel 37:1-14
or Joel 3:1-5
And suddenly there came from the sky a noise
like a strong driving wind.
As fire blazes in the wind,
you burst through
all creation.
Not just in the upper room,
in one place and
time,
but
everywhere.
O Spirit,
set hearts on fire
every minute of every day.
Let us
go with you to
the ends of the earth.
THE SECOND READING
1 Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13
Romans 8:22-27 (Vigil)We do not know how to pray as we ought,
but the Spirit itself intercedes
with inexpressible groanings.
Spirit of Jesus,
You know our prayers.
Take our sighs up to the Father.
Wrap your life around them.
Let our spirits cry out
in joyful harmony
with you:
Abba, Father!
