Last Sunday was the Day of Pentecost, although I’m sure many our congregation will remember it being known as Whit Sunday (at least in the UK). Whit Monday, the day after, particularly in the north of England, was a day when there were Sunday School Processions with banners, and usually with the local town band. Much of that changed with the moving of the Whit Bank Holiday in 1972.
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The Collect for Pentecost
God, who as at this time 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 judgement in all things and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort; through the merits of Christ Jesus our Saviour, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Fr Ron’s reflection on today’s readings
First Reading – Acts 2:1-21
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”
Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”
Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
“‘In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.
I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
Gospel Reading – John 7:37-39
On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.
Intercessions for The Day of Pentecost – 31st May 2020
Mighty God, as we are gathered together, not physically but spiritually, joined in hope and in faith, we ask you to minister to our needs. Send the Holy Spirit to fill the hearts of your faithful people and kindle in them the fire of your love.
Lord, in your Mercy: Hear our Prayer
Holy God, we pray for our church leaders, that they will be guided in their ministry by the influence of the Holy Spirit and that the Church, in the power of the Spirit, may make the Gospel understandable to people of every race, language, and culture. That the Holy Spirit of Peace may unite and reconcile the peoples and nations of the earth, bringing an end to war, hatred, discrimination and the present Covid-19 Pandemic.
Lord in your mercy: Hear our prayer
Faithful God, we pray for our Chaplaincy community, that each of us, in these strange times, will be open to the opportunities to give of our individual talents enabling our church group to flourish as a witness to the “One Body” of the church. We pray that each baptized Christian may develop more fully his or her response to all the gifts which the Spirit bestows for the service of the Body of Christ,
Lord in your mercy: Hear our prayer
Father God we pray for your world and its peoples with all their needs, questions and longings. So often we struggle to understand the reasons behind things like the Corona Virus; and yet we know that in the midst of such events your love is shown in the acts of bravery, selflessness and compassion which we are seeing all around us especially by our health services and those in the wider community who continue to serve our needs.
We pray for all who suffer in such dreadful circumstances and for those who are tasked with providing the medical and community support and, eventually, in the long task of reconstruction.
Lord in your mercy: Hear our prayer
Loving God, we pray for all those who are sick; guide them and strengthen them through their illness. We pray also for those who care for the sick, those engaged in the caring professions and for family members who look after loved ones and especially for children who care for parents.
Lord in your mercy: Hear our prayer
Merciful God, pray for all those who have died: give them a place at your banquet in heaven. May the Holy Spirit, who purifies us of sin and raises the dead, bring all our departed loved ones into the fullness of your presence.
Lord in your mercy: Hear our prayer
Everlasting God, on this Day of Pentecost, we rejoice in the wonderful gift of your Spirit. Send him again into our hearts, into our lives, and into our world.
Merciful father: accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen
Thanks to the Costa Blanca Anglican Chaplaincy for sharing their prayers for this Sunday.
After today, the Paschal Candle, which would have been in the sanctuary from Easter Day until Pentecost, symbolising the physical presence of Christ on earth after his resurrection, is moved to the back of church, by the font, for the rest of the church year. Its lit only at Baptisms, when the small candle presented to the candidate for Baptism, is lit from it, again symbolising the Holy Sprit alighting upon them.
