Scriptures and Reflection Questions for June 12

Pentecost Sunday, Year A
June 12, 2011
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Collect

Almighty God, on this day you opened the way of eternal life to every race and nation
by the promised gift of your Holy Spirit: Shed abroad this gift throughout the world
by the preaching of the Gospel, that it may reach to the ends of the earth; through
Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

or

O God, who on this day taught the hearts of your faithful people by sending to them
the light of your Holy Spirit: Grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment
in all things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort; through Jesus Christ
 your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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How to use this page:

Print this and read a different passage each day and think about it.  Some questions
are offered to help stimulate your reflection.  You'll find your experience of worship
on Sunday will be intensified.

For a method to read and pray with the scriptures you might try to use the ancient
practice of Lectio Divina (Divine Reading).  We've written some instructions on
how to use Lectio with the Sunday Scriptures at the following link:
http://www.stpaulsfay.org/id272.html
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The Lessons

Acts 2:1-21
Psalm 104:25-35,37b
1 Corinthians 12:3b-13
John 20:19-23________________________________________________

Acts 2:1-21

When the day of Pentecost had come, the disciples were all together in one place.
And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and
 it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire,
appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled
with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them
ability.

Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And
at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them
 speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, "Are
not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us,
in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia,
Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts
of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,
Cretans and Arabs-- in our own languages we hear them speaking about God's deeds
 of power." All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "What does this
mean?" But others sneered and said, "They are filled with new wine."

But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, "Men of
Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what
I say. Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o'clock
in the morning. No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:

`In the last days it will be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,
  and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
   and your old men shall dream dreams.
Even upon my slaves, both men and women,
  in those days I will pour out my Spirit;
    and they shall prophesy.
And I will show portents in the heaven above
  and signs on the earth below,
    blood, and fire, and smoky mist.
The sun shall be turned to darkness
  and the moon to blood,
    before the coming of the Lord's great and glorious day.
Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.' "

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What does the power of the Holy Spirit mean to you?

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Psalm 104:25-35, 37b

O Holy One, how manifold are your works; *
   in wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.

Yonder is the great and wide sea with its living things too many to number, *
   creatures both small and great.

There move the ships, and there is that Leviathan, *
   which you have made for the sport of it.

All of them look to you *
   to give them their food in due season.

You give it to them; they gather it; *
   you open your hand, and they are filled with good things.

You hide your face, and they are terrified; *
   you take away their breath, and they die and return to their dust.

You send forth your Spirit, and they are created; *
   and so you renew the face of the earth.

May the glory of God endure for ever; *
   may the Holy One rejoice in all creation.

God looks at the earth and it trembles; *
   God touches the mountains and they smoke.

I will sing to God as long as I live; *
   I will praise my God while I have my being.

May these words of mine find favor; *
   I will rejoice in the Holy One. Alleluia!

                                  St. Helena Psalter

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When you look at the majesty and wonder of creation, what thoughts do you have?

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1 Corinthians 12:3b-13

No one can say "Jesus is Lord" except by the Holy Spirit. Now there are varieties
of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same
 Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates
all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the
common good. To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to
another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith
by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the
working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits,
 to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually
just as the Spirit chooses.

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body,
though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all
baptized into one body-- Jews or Greeks, slaves or free-- and we were all made to
drink of one Spirit

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What are some of your gifts?  How do you use your gifts "for the common good"?
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John 20:19-23

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the
 house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came
and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." After he said this, he showed
them his hands and his side. Then 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." When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the
Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain
the sins of any, they are retained."

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The Risen Lord greet the disciples with the words "Peace be with you."  How is peace
connected with the gift of the Holy Spirit and the power to forgive or retain sins?

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The Rev. Lowell Grisham
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Fayetteville, AR

The Mission of St. Paul's Episcopal Church
is to explore and celebrate
God's infinite grace, acceptance, and love.

Our Rule of Life:
  We aspire to...
     worship weekly
     pray daily
     learn constantly
     serve joyfully
     live generously.

Check our website: www.stpaulsfay.org