Using Our Gifts

The irony of this weekend is not lost on me.  During every free minute, I've been working on my dissertation while enjoying festivities for my Aunt as she receives her doctorate from Fairfield University in Norwalk, Connecticut.  From recruiting participants through school districts that have been added to my study at the last minute, to trying to schedule interviews from a Dunkin' Donuts along the highway in New York since I needed Internet access and didn't have it in the car, to my family waiting on me as I email folks as we're walking out the door---every second literally counts if I'm to pull off conducting at least eight interviews by this Friday.

I'm also glad to be with my family, today, on the second-greatest feast day (after Easter) of Pentecost Sunday.  During the baccalaureate mass at Alumni Hall last night, we learned about gathering together, receiving gifts, and feeling a sense of peace through the readings, psalm, and gospel (see below if you want to take a look).  During his homily, Father talked about the spiritual gifts we are all given through the Holy Spirit, which promptly reminded me of last week's retreat in Malvern, PA.  As we prepare to caravan over to campus for Commencement and a reception afterwards, I am excited to watch other students about to embark on using their gifts and make a difference in the lives of others.  I hope that I, and others, will use the gifts we have been given to positively impact the world.

After mass, Mom, Dad, & I learned about the newly acquired 500+ year old hand written bible that had come to Fairfield, CT from a Benedictine Monastery in Minnesota.  More on that in another blog posting complete with pictures!  I am also "fired up" to collect data as of 3pm this past Friday afternoon when I heard that I had the long-awaited go-ahead to move forward from my committee.  Now, it's on to making revisions to my proposal and conducting interviews.  It may be at the last minute, the interviews may be conducted with folks I hadn't planned to talk with, and the interviews will not be transcribed before returning to NC but I will take what I can get!!

"If you are what you are supposed to be you will set the world on fire"- St. Catherine of Siena

 

Reading 1 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 districts 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.”

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

R. (cf. 30) Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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;
R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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.
R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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.
R. Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Reading 2 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 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.

Gospel Jn 20:19-23

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.”
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.
The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
Jesus said to them again, “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.”