Pentecost Sunday
June 8, 2014 Cycle A
Red priestly vestments symbolize the supreme sacrifice of life for the love of God.

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Liturgical Year Cycle A 13-14
                                     Introductory Acts Of Worship

The Entrance Prayers:   On Sunday, usually a hymn praising God is sung in place of reciting a Psalm from the Bible which invites us to enter more deeply into the mystery of God's love for us.  The recited weekday Psalm expresses a youthful heart and spirit, delighted that we may come before the living God.

Entrance Song / Entrance Psalm (Antiphon)           
Entrance Song
Wisdom 1:7  The Spirit of the Lord has filled the whole world and that which contains all things understands what is said, alleluia.

The Priest Approaches and Kisses the Altar:  The altar is a symbol of Christ.  In it are cut five crosses to recall the five wounds of Christ.  The altar also represents the Church and has embedded in it the relics of her saints.  The priest comes to the altar to celebrate the Sacrifice in the Church's name.  Because of the glory surrounding the altar upon which the divine Sacrifice will be made, the kiss of the priest unites the Church to Christ, its Redeemer.

Priest:   In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
All:          Amen.

The Greeting:  We are welcomed in God's name.  Our response unites us to our neighbor, to the priest and to God.  (The priest may select from several forms of greeting).

Priest:   The Lord be with you.
All:           And with your spirit. 

The Penitential Prayers:  We recognize our guilt for past sins, express our sorrow for them, and ask that Mary, the angels, the saints, and our brothers and sisters in Christ pray for the Lord God's mercy.  (The priest may select from several forms).

Priest:   Brothers and sisters, let us acknowledge our sins, and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.
Priest:   You were sent to heal the contrite of heart: Lord, have mercy.
All:   Lord, have mercy.
Priest:   You came to call sinners: Christ, have mercy.
All:   Christ, have mercy.
Priest:   You are seated at the right hand of the Father to intercede for us: Lord, have mercy.
All:   Lord, have mercy.

The Absolution:

Priest:   May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.
All:          Amen.

The Gloria:  The Glory of God prayers have existed from the second century.  They repeat the angels praise of God which heralded the birth of Christ on earth.  Our praise is lifted again through the years as we rejoice at His coming as Lord, God, the most high Jesus Christ, who at Christmas took on our human nature while at the same time being the son of Man. This ancient hymn expresses our recognition of God's glory and love.  It calls upon Christ as our holy and divine mediator, and the Holy Spirit who forever binds us together in God's love.

Priest and All:   Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will.  We praise you, we bless you, we adore you, we glorify you, we give you thanks for your great glory.  Lord God, heavenly King, O God, almighty Father.  Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son, Lord God, Lamb of God, son of the Father, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us; you take away the sins of the world, receive your prayer; you are seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us.  For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father.  Amen.

The Collect:    The priest lifts the united prayers and petitions of the congregation to God the Father through the merits of Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit.

Priest:   O God, who by the mystery of today's great feast sanctify your whole Church in every people and nation, pour out, we pray, the gifts of the Holy Spirit across the face of the earth and, with the divine grace that was at work when the Gospel was first proclaimed, fill now once more the hearts of believers.  Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

                              Liturgy of the Word
Christ is made known to us through the Old Testament which prepares us to recognize Him.  In those days, God inspired men who spoke His message.  Now, the New Testament Gospel reading announces His presence to us directly through His Son.  Both readings bring God's message to us.  Our responsibility is to respond.
 

The First Reading:  From the Old Testament

Priest/Reader:   A reading from the book, Acts of the Apostles.

First Reading:  Acts 2:1-11

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.  Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them.  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.

Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem.  At this sound, they gathered in a large crowd, but they were confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language.  They were astounded, and in amazement they asked, “Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans?  Then how does each of us hear them in his native language?  We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,  Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the district of Libya near Cyrene, as well as travelers from Rome, both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs, yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues of the mighty acts of God.”

The Responsorial Psalm:  This Psalm praising God, is a prayer to God, or recommends the practice of virtue.  It is sung as an interlude between the scriptural readings.  It provides yet another instructional setting and invites the assembly to imitate the cantor who sings a repeated response to the verses of an ancient Psalm many of which are attributed to King David.  The verses are sung first by a cantor (song leader) accompanied by instruments, the refrain is sung by the people. 

Psalm 104:30: 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34

Cantor:   Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
All:          Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.

Cantor:  Bless the Lord, O my soul!  O Lord, my God, you are great indeed!  How manifold are your works, O Lord!  The earth is full of your creatures.
All:  Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.

Cantor:  May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord be glad in his works!  Pleasing to him be my theme; I will be glad in the Lord.
All:  Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.

Cantor:  If you take away their breath, they perish and return to their dust.  When you send forth your spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth.
All:  Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.

The Second Reading:  Taken from the New Testament, often from a letter written by St. Paul.

Second Reading:   1 Corinthians 12:3b-7. 12-12

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 forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone.  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.  For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.

The Sequence:  A hymn of joy said or sung before the Gospel on certain feast days.

Cantor:  Come, Holy Spirit, come!  And from your celestial home shed a ray of light divine!  Come, Father of the poor!  Come, source of all our store!  Come, within our bosoms shine.  You, of comforters the best; You, the soul’s most welcome guest; sweet refreshment here below; in our labor, rest most sweet; grateful coolness in the heat; solace in the midst of woe.  O most blessed Light divine, shine within these hearts of Thine, and our inmost being fill!  Where you are not, we have naught, nothing good in deed or thought, nothing free from taint of ill.  Heal our wounds, our strength renew; on our dryness pour your dew; wash the stains of guilt away: Bend the stubborn heart and will; melt the frozen, warm the chill; guide the steps that go astray.  On the faithful, who adore and confess you, evermore in your sevenfold gifts descend; give them virtue’s sure reward; give them your salvation, Lord; give them joys that never end.  Amen.  Alleluia.

The Alleluia:  An ancient expression of joy anticipating the Lord's message we will hear in the Gospel.

John 20:19-23

Cantor:    Alleluia!  Alleluia!  Alleluia!
All:           Alleluia!  Alleluia!  Alleluia!
Cantor:    Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, and kindle in them the fire of your love.  Come, Holy Spirit, come!
All:           Alleluia!  Alleluia!  Alleluia!

The Gospel:  The Liturgy of the Word is completed by the reading of the Gospel.  Before its reading, the members of the assembly trace the sign of the cross upon the forehead to indicate their mental acceptance of the Truth, on the lips to indicate their readiness to announce it, and over the heart to indicate their sincere desire to accept it into their lives.  The "Good News" of the Gospel tells that God's kingdom has come for all to hear, accept, and announce to the world for its salvation.  It is God who is speaking to us.  Christ comes to teach us by the example of His life and by His own words.

Priest:   Cleanse my heart and my lips, almighty God, that I may worthily proclaim your holy Gospel.  Through the words of the Gospel may our sins be wiped away.

Priest:   The Lord be with you.
All:           And also with you.
Priest/Deacon:   A reading from the holy Gospel according to John.
All:           Glory to you, Lord.

The Gospel:   John 20:19-23
 John wrote to show that Christ was
the Messiah, the Divine Son of God.

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.  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.”

Priest/Deacon:   The Gospel of the Lord.
All:                            Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

The Priest's Sermon:    The priest develops, explains, and comments upon the Master's words, so our minds may be
enlightened, and our hearts enriched.

(A priestly reflection upon this Gospel)

Profession of Faith:     We state in the Nicene Creed the principles of our faith in precise and definite terms.

All:   We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is visible and invisible.  I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages.  God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made.  For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.  For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.  He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.  He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end.  I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son he is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.  I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.  I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.  Amen. 

General Intercessions:   We pray for the needs of the pope, civic leaders, our own needs, those of others, the sick, the dying, those who have died, the church, and the world.  The response of all to each intercession:  Lord, hear our prayer.

All:   Lord, hear our prayer.

                  The Liturgy of the Eucharist

Gifts of bread and wine symbolizing ourselves are presented to the priest who will offer them to God the Father.  Through the Holy Spirit, they will become the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ whom we receive in Holy Communion.  Jesus unites Himself with us for our spiritual nourishment and strength.  Today, when individuals do not present their own personal offerings of bread and wine, the monetary contribution symbolizes the material of their united sacrifice.  The priest makes and offering of the bread and wine to God.

Preparation of the Bread and Wine:

Priest:   Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation, through your goodness we have this bread to offer, which earth has
               given and human hands have made.  It will become for us the bread of life.
All:           Blessed be God for ever.

Priest:    By the mystery of this water and wine may we come to share in the divinity of Christ, who humbled himself to
               share in our humanity.

Priest:   Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, for through your goodness we have received the wine we offer you;
               fruit of the vine and work of human hands it will become our spiritual drink.
All:           Blessed be God for ever.

Priest:    Lord God, we ask you to receive us and be pleased with the sacrifice we offer you with humble and contrite hearts.

The Priest's Hands are Washed: This act was traditionally necessary because the priest handled the various gifts presented by the people.  Now, the cleansing act using water reminds the priest and ourselves of the need to cleanse not only the hands but the soul.  Soon, the priest's hands will hold the actual body of Christ, and we will become His dwelling place.   

Priest:    Lord, wash away my iniquity; cleanse me from my sin. Pray, brethren, that my sacrifice and yours may be
               acceptable to God, the almighty Father.

All:           May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands, for the praise and glory of his name, for our good, and the good
               of all his holy Church.

Prayer over the Gifts:  Speaking in our name, the priest asks the Father to accept the gifts we offer through him.

Priest:   Grant, we pray, O Lord, that, as promised by your son, the Holy Spirit may reveal to us more abundantly the hidden mystery of this sacrifice and graciously lead us into all truth.  Through Christ our Lord.

Eucharistic Prayer:   (Number Two: The priest may select from several forms).

Priest:    The Lord be with you.
All:           And with your spirit. 

Priest:    Lift up your hearts.
All:           We lift them up to the Lord.

Priest:    Let us give thanks to the Lord, our God.
All:           It is right and just. 

Preface Prayer: 

Priest:  It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks, Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God.  For, bringing your Paschal Mystery to completion, you bestowed the Holy Spirit today on those you made your adopted children by uniting them to your Only Begotten Son.  This same Spirit, as the Church came to birth, opened to all peoples the knowledge of God and brought together the many languages of the earth in profession of the one faith.  Therefore, overcome with paschal joy, every land, every people exults in your praise and even the heavenly Powers, with the angelic hosts, sing together the unending hymn of your glory, as they acclaim:

Acclamation:

Priest and All:   Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts.  Heaven and earth are full of your glory.  Hosanna in the
highest.   Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.  Hosanna in the highest.

Priest:   To you, therefore, most merciful Father, we make humble prayer and petition through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord: that you accept and bless these gifts, these offerings, these holy and unblemished sacrifices, which we offer you firstly for your holy catholic Church.  Be pleased to grant her peace, to guard, unite and govern her throughout the whole world, together with your servant ___ our Pope and ___ our Bishop, and all those who, holding to the truth, hand on the catholic and apostolic faith.

Remember Lord, your servants ___ and ___ and all gathered here, whose faith and devotion are known to you.  For them, we offer you this sacrifice of praise or they offer it for themselves and all who are dear to them: for the redemption of their souls, in hope of health and well-being, and paying their homage to you, the eternal God, living and true.

Be pleased, O God, we pray, to bless, acknowledge, and approve this offering in every respect; make it spiritual and acceptable, so that it may become for us the Body and Blood of your most beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

The priest repeats the words which Christ used at his Last Supper when He changed the bread into His Body and the wine into His Blood.  His Body and Blood are truly present but under the appearance of bread and wine.  The death of Christ is prolonged in each of those who receive Him worthily.  We apply His death to ourselves so that we may share His glory.  This moment is the most solemn on earth because it is Divine act which enables us to apply to ourselves the Cross which Christ willingly took upon Himself. 

We are called to die to sin and lift our very selves to God so that we become changed; to do as God would have us do, to become what God would have us become.  Our own little cross can lift us into union with Christ's Cross so we may earn the joys of everlasting happiness with God the Father. 

The Lord's Supper:  On the day before he was to suffer, he took bread in his holy and venerable hands, and with eyes raised to heaven to you, O God, his almighty Father, giving you thanks, he said the blessing, broke the bread and gave it to his disciples, saying:

Take this, all of you, and eat of it, for this is my Body, which will be given up for you.

In a similar way, when supper was ended, he took the precious chalice in his holy and venerable hands, and once more giving you thanks, he said the blessing and gave the chalice to his disciples, saying:

Take this, all of you, and drink from it, for this is the chalice of my Blood, the Blood of the new and eternal covenant, which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.  Do this in memory of me.
 

Memorial Acclamation: (The priest may select from several forms). 
Priest:            The mystery of faith.
Priest / All:  We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again.
 

Memorial Prayer:  (The priest may select from several forms).

The Priest Recalls Christ's Passion, Resurrection, Ascension, the Church, the dead, and ourselves.
Therefore, O Lord, as we celebrate the memorial of his blessed Passion, and Resurrection from the dead, and the glorious Ascension into heaven of Christ, your Son, our Lord, we, your servants and your holy people, offer to your glorious majesty from the gifts that you have given us, this pure victim, this holy victim, this spotless victim, the holy Bread of eternal life and the Chalice of everlasting salvation.

Be pleased to look upon these offerings with a serene and kindly countenance, and to accept them, as once you were pleased to accept the gifts of your servant Abel the just, the sacrifice of Abraham, our father in faith, and the offering of your high priest Melchizedek, a holy sacrifice, a spotless victim.

In humble prayer we ask you, almighty God: command that these gifts be borne by the hands of your holy Angel to your altar on high in the sight of your divine majesty, so that all of us, who through this participation at the altar receive the most holy Body and Blood of your Son, may be filled with every grace and heavenly blessing.  Through Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Remember also, Lord, your servants ___ and ___, who have gone before us with the sing of faith and rest in the sleep of peace.  Grant them, O Lord, we pray, and all who sleep in Christ, a place of refreshment, light and peace.  Through Christ our Lord.  Amen

To us, also, your servants, who, though sinners, hope in your abundant mercies, graciously grant some share and fellowship with your holy Apostles and Martyrs: with John the Baptist, Stephen, Matthias, Barnabas, Ignatius, Alexander, Marcellinus, Peter, Felicity, Perpetua, Agatha, Lucy, Agnes, Cecilia, Anastasia and all your Saints; admit us, we beseech you, into their company, not weighing our merits, but granting us your pardon, through Christ our Lord.

Through whom you continue to make all these good things, O Lord; you sanctify them, fill them with life, bless them, and bestow them upon us.
               
Doxology
Prayer of Praise:   Through him, with him, and in him, O God, almighty Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, for ever and ever.
All:   Amen.      

                       Communion Rite

In the Liturgy of the Eucharist, we symbolically offer ourselves to the Lord through the gifts of bread and wine.  At the Consecration, we offer our very lives to be united the God the Father through the Cross of Christ.  In Communion, we find that we have not died at all, but have come to life.  We have surrendered ourselves to God through His Divine Son, Jesus Christ.  In return become ennobled and enriched.  We give up time and we get eternity, we give up our sin and we receive grace, we surrender our self-will and receive the strength of the Divine Will, we give up ourselves and we receive everything.  For the Son of God says to us that unless we receive Him we shall not have Divine life in us.  But it is not really we who receive Christ as it is Christ who receives us, bringing us into Himself.

God makes His Cross the very means of our salvation and our life.  While we have crucified Him, His eternal love cannot be extinguished.  Christ willed to give us the very life we crucified in our Redemption, the Consecration of Holy Thursday into Communion, His death into our everlasting life.

The Lord's Prayer:

Priest:                Let us ask our Father to forgive our sins and to bring us to forgive those who sin against us.
Priest and All:   Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be they name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Priest:   Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil, graciously grant peace in our days, that, by the help of your mercy, we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
All:        For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and for ever.

Prayer for Peace:

Priest:   Lord Jesus Christ, you said to your apostles: I leave you peace, my peace I give you. Look not on our sins, but on the faith of your Church, and grant us peace and unity of your kingdom where you live for ever and ever.  Amen.
                                     
Priest:   Let us offer each other the sign of peace.

Breaking of the Bread:

Priest and All:   Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
                               Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
                               Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, grant us peace.

Priest:   May this mingling of the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ bring eternal life to us who receive it.

Communion of the Priest:

Priestly Preparation:   Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, who, by the will of the Father and the work of the Holy Spirit, through your Death gave life to the world, free me by this, your most holy Body and Blood, from all my sins and from every evil; keep me always faithful to your commandments, and never let me be parted from you.

Priest:   This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.  Happy are those who are called to his supper. 

Priest and All:   Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed.

Priest:   May the Body of Christ keep me safe for eternal life.
             May the Blood of Christ keep me safe for eternal life.

Communion Antiphon:

Acts 2:4, 11
Priest:   They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke of the marvels of God, alleluia.

Communion of the Faithful:

Priest:             The Body of Christ.    
The Faithful:   Amen.

Priest/Deacon/
Extraordinary Eucharistic Minister:   The Blood of Christ.
The Faithful:   Amen.

Cleansing of the Vessels:

Priest:   Lord, may I receive these gifts in purity of heart.  May they bring me healing and strength, now and for ever.

Prayer after Communion:

Priest:   Let us pray.
Priest:   O God, who bestow heavenly gifts upon your Church, safeguard, we pray, the grace you have given, that the gift of the Holy Spirit poured out upon her may retain all its force and that this spiritual good may gain her abundance of eternal redemption.  Through Christ our Lord.
All:          Amen.
                                         Concluding Rite

Blessing:

Priest:   Bow your heads and pray for God's blessing.
Priest:   May the Father of lights, who was pleased to enlighten the disciples' minds by the outpouring of the Spirit, the Paraclete, grant you gladness by his blessing and make you always abound with the gifts of the same Spirit.
All:     Amen.
Priest:   May the wondrous flame that appeared above the disciples, powerfully cleanse your hearts from every evil and pervade them with its purifying light.
All:     Amen.
Priest:   And may God, who has been pleased to unite many tongues in the profession of one faith, give you perseverance in that same faith and, by believing, may you journey from hope to clear wisdom.
All:    Amen.
Priest:   And may the blessing of almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, come down on you and remain with you for ever.
All:    Amen. 

Dismissal Prayer:

Priest:  Go in peace, alleluia, alleluia.     
All:        Thanks be to God, alleluia, alleluia.

O my Jesus, forgive us our sins. 
 
Save us from the fires of hell. 
 
Lead all souls to heaven,
 
especially those in most need of your mercy.

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Liturgical Year Cycle A 13-14