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May 31, 2020
Pentecost SundaySharing the Holy Spirit
ENGLISH | SPANISH
PDF DownloadOur response to a disaster follows a pattern. At first, shock and a little denial: “What’s the big deal? Isn’t it just like the flu?” Then, when we realize the threat, we all rally together with common purpose. But after that, we enter into a difficult phase. The threat isn’t going away, we’re sick of dealing with it, and we aren’t sure how to go forward.
Believe it or not, that’s pretty much how the disciples feel in this Sunday’s Gospel. As Christians, they aren’t welcome in the synagogues or with the Romans. Jesus appears and gives them the Holy Spirit. He doesn’t give them solutions to their problems. What he does give them is the Spirit to equip them for mission.
Our world needs the Holy Spirit, especially during these difficult times. Jesus gives us His peace and the Holy Spirit. He does this to strengthen us so we can share the gift of that Spirit with others.
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Take time to read and reflect on the Scriptures for this Sunday.
Don’t have access to a Bible?
Visit www.usccb.org/bible/readings or download an app such as Laudate or iBreviary to access the Mass readings.Acts 2:1-11
The Holy Spirit descends upon the Apostles
Psalm 104:1, 24, 29-31, 34
God sends His Spirit and renews the face of the Earth
1 Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13
No one can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit
John 20:19-23
Jesus appears to the Disciples and says, “Peace be with you.”
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Here are some reflection questions to help you have Great Conversations with the whole family.
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Talk with your children about some things that are wrong or broken in this world and discuss how the following things could make the world better:
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Beauty - being pleasing to the senses
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Truth - understanding how things really are or should be
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Goodness - providing what we need
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Tell your children that, when they were baptized, they were joined to Jesus and he gave them a share in his role of being priest, prophet and king: the power to see and praise beauty (priest), to understand and teach the truth (prophet), and to take care of the people and things he created (king). Tell your children about a time that you saw them make something beautiful, say something that was true, or do something that was good.
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Ask them about how they would like to help fix the things that are broken in the world. Maybe they could be an artist or musician who makes beautiful things. Maybe they could be a teacher that helps children understand the truth. Maybe they could be a doctor or nurse who could take care of people’s needs. Encourage them to ask God for help in learning how to become who they are meant to be.
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If God is all-powerful and all-good, how is there evil in the world?
This is one of the biggest challenges of our faith. When discussing this with our children, sometimes it helps to flip the question: how is there so much good in the world?
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Consider your breath: so many things have to happen in order for each breath to take place, and yet we breathe all day long without even thinking about it, even in our sleep. Each breath is good and a gift from God!
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Consider the sun: everyday it shines without our help, and the sky is lit up in a new way with each sunrise and sunset. The sun is good and a gift from God!
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Consider the rain: the rain falls to water the plants and trees that make our surroundings green and beautiful. The rain is good and a gift from God!
St. Thomas Aquinas taught that evil isn’t a thing in itself, it’s just the absence of a good that should exist. When we learn to see the world with gratitude and wonder, it’s easy to see that God is indeed all-powerful and all-good. The proof is in all of creation, and in all of us.
What other proof of God’s goodness can you see? -
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Helping Kids Grow Closer to God at Pentecost
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Pope Francis' Urbi et Orbi meditation: Faith in the Storm
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Caring for those who are alone
The Office of Pastoral Ministries offers excellent resources that can help us care for those among us who are lonely or suffering from anxiety during this time.
Want to call someone in need, but not sure what to say? Click here for a guide (available in English and Spanish).
Want to pray for someone who is experiencing anxiety? Click this link to find text for prayers that can help (available in English and Spanish). -
Coronavirus, Anxiety and Children
Buiding Family Bonds during the Coronavirus
A collection of resources to help families build stronger bonds in spite of the challenges of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Coronavirus, Anxiety, Children and the Church
A helpful guide for parents who wish to talk to children about COVID-19 in an empowering and reassuring way.
Explaining the News to Our Kids
This article provides parents with guidance on how to talk with our children when there are disturbing things in the news.
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Responding to Domestic Violence during Stay Home, Stay Healthy
Domestic Violence is an all too real part of the lives of many families. Parish leaders can and should play a role in protecting those at risk. Below are some resources that can help us begin to respond:
Archdiocese of Seattle Domestic Violence Resources
Link to When I Call for Help: A Pastoral Response to Domestic Violence by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
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