Breaking Open the News for Pentecost—B
The Way of Faith
Explain that Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to be with us and guide us to the truth.
In the news
During her nearly three-month detainment in the notorious Evin prison in Tehran, the American born journalist had turned to God in prayer. However, at a certain point she felt that God had “abandoned” her and gave into her interrogators’ demand that she confess she was an American spy. (Saberi Felt God Still With Her; Recanted Confession)
In the readings
When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled,
they were all in one place together.
And suddenly there came from the sky
a noise like a strong driving wind,
and it filled the entire house in which they were….
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit…. (Acts 2:1-11)
In the tradition
Before his Passover, Jesus announced the sending of “another Paraclete” (Advocate), the Holy Spirit. At work since creation, having previously “spoken through the prophets”, the Spirit will now be with and in the disciples, to teach them and guide them “into all the truth”. The Holy Spirit is thus revealed as another divine person with Jesus and the Father. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 243)
The Way of Faith
Explain that life in the Spirit is a life that imitates the forgiving nature of Jesus. Jesus gave the apostles his own power to forgive sins.
In the news
A London pastor who was ambushed in his car by an armed gang last October is to tell thousands of Christians this Sunday that the answer to ridding the capital of gun and knife crime lies in offering forgiveness and hope to the perpetrators. (London pastor urges forgiveness for perpetrators of gun and knife crime)
In the readings
[H]e 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.” (Jn 20:19-23)
In the tradition
During his public life Jesus not only forgave sins, but also made plain the effect of this forgiveness: he reintegrated forgiven sinners into the community of the People of God from which sin had alienated or even excluded them. A remarkable sign of this is the fact that Jesus receives sinners at his table, a gesture that expresses in an astonishing way both God’s forgiveness and the return to the bosom of the People of God.
In imparting to his apostles his own power to forgive sins the Lord also gives them the authority to reconcile sinners with the Church. This ecclesial dimension of their task is expressed most notably in Christ’s solemn words to Simon Peter: “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”45 “The office of binding and loosing which was given to Peter was also assigned to the college of the apostles united to its head.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1443-1444)
The Way of Faith
Explain that the Holy Spirit gives different gifts to each of us to accomplish the mission of the church.
In the news
For advocates of women’s rights, adding another female justice is not about diversity for diversity’s sake. It’s about bringing women’s perspectives and life experiences into interpretations of law, and about helping the male justices see things through their eyes. (What another woman would bring to Supreme Court)
In the readings
To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit.
As a body is one though it has many parts,
and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ. (1 Cor 12:3b-7, 12-13)
In the tradition
Believers who respond to God’s word and become members of Christ’s Body, become intimately united with him….
The body’s unity does not do away with the diversity of its members: “In the building up of Christ’s Body there is engaged a diversity of members and functions. There is only one Spirit who, according to his own richness and the needs of the ministries, gives his different gifts for the welfare of the Church.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 790-791)
Have you seen other breaking news this week that needs to be discussed? Click on comments to share your thoughts.
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