They laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.
From the Acts of the Apostles Acts 8.5-8.14-17
In those days, Philip went down to a city of Samaria and preached to them the Christ. And the crowds unanimously paid attention to Philip's words, hearing him speak and seeing the signs he performed. In fact, from many demoniacs came out impure spirits, uttering loud cries, and many paralytics and cripples were healed. And there was great joy in that city.
Meanwhile the apostles in Jerusalem learned that Samaria had accepted the word of God and they sent Peter and John to them. They went down and prayed for them to receive the Holy Ghost; for he had not yet descended upon any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.
Cheer God, all of you of the earth, sing the glory of his name, give him glory with praise. Tell a God: "Terrible are your works! R.
All the earth bows down to you, I sing hymns to you, I sing to your name." Come and see the works of God, terrible in its action on men. R.
He changed the sea into dry land; they crossed the river on foot: therefore we rejoice in him. With his strength he rules forever. R.
Come, listen, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for me. Blessed be you God, who did not reject my prayer, he did not deny me his mercy. R.
Second Reading
Put to death in body, but made alive in spirit.From the first letter of Saint Peter the Apostle 1Pt 3,15-18
Beloved, adore the Lord, Christ, in your hearts, always ready to answer anyone who asks you the reason for the hope that is in you.
However, this must be done with gentleness and respect, with an upright conscience, so that, at the very moment in which people speak ill of you, those who malign your good behavior in Christ.
If indeed this is the will of God, it is better to suffer doing good than doing evil, because also Christ died once for all for sins, righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you back to God; put to death in body, but made alive in spirit.
If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, says the Lord, and the Father mine will love him and we will come to him. (Jn 14:23)
Alleluia.
Gospel
I will pray the Father and he will give you another Paraclete.
Holy Spirit Paraclete
From the Gospel according to John Jn 14:15-21
During that time, Jesus he said to his disciples, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments; and I will pray the Father ed egli vi darà un altro Paràclito perché rimanga con voi per sempre, lo Spirito della verità, che il mondo non può ricevere perché non lo vede e non lo conosce.
You know him because he remains with you and will be in you.
Non vi lascerò orfani: verrò da voi. Ancora un poco e il mondo non mi vedrà più; voi invece mi vedrete, perché io vivo e voi vivrete.
On that day you will know that I am in the Father mine and you in me and I in you.
Whoever receives my commandments and observes them, this is the one who loves me. Whoever loves me will be loved by Father mine, and I too will love him and reveal myself to him."
"I will ask the Father and he will give you another Counselor to stay with you forever: the Spirit of truth"
God he is Spirit» says the Lord to the Samaritan woman (…); so long as God è invisibile, incomprensibile e infinito, non va adorato su un monte o in un tempio (Gv 4,21-24).
"God it is spirit,” and a spirit cannot be circumscribed or held back; by the power of its nature, it is everywhere and is absent from nowhere; with all of himself he overflows in everything. For this it is necessary to adore in the Holy Spirit God che è spirito. (…)
Non dice altra cosa l’apostolo Paolo quando scrive: «Il Signore è spirito e dove c’è lo Spirito del Signore c’è la libertà» (2 Cor 3,17). (…) Cessino dunque le argomentazioni di coloro che rifiutano lo Spirito. Lo Spirito Santo è uno, diffuso dappertutto, è lui che ha illuminato tutti i patriarchi, i profeti e l’intero coro di tutti coloro che hanno partecipato alla redazione della Legge.
Egli ha ispirato Giovanni il Battista fin dal grembo di sua madre; è stato effuso infine sugli apostoli e su tutti i credenti affinché conoscessero la verità rivelata loro per grazia. Ascoltiamo dalle parole dello stesso Signore quale sia il suo compito nei nostri confronti.
Dice: «Molte cose ho ancora da dirvi, ma per il momento non siete capaci di portarne il peso. È bene per voi che io me ne vada; se me ne vado vi manderò il Consolatore (…), lo Spirito di verità che vi guiderà alla verità tutta intera» (Gv 16, 7-13). (…)
In these words both the will of the giver are manifested, as well as the nature and role of the one who gives us. Since our limitation does not allow us to understand either the Father, nor the Son, it is difficult to understand the mystery of the incarnation of God. Il dono dello Spirito Santo, che si fa nostro alleato con la sua intercessione, ci illumina. (…)
The gift, that is Christ, è dato interamente a tutti. Resta ovunque a nostra disposizione e ci è concesso nella misura in cui vogliamo accoglierlo.
The Holy Spirit will remain with us until the end of the world, he is the comfort of our waiting, he is the pledge of hope in the future realization of his gifts, he is the light of our minds, the splendor of our souls.
WORDS OF THE HOLY FATHER
Meditating on these words of Jesus, today we perceive with a sense of faith that we are the people of God in communion with Father and with Jesus mediante lo Spirito Santo.
In this mystery of communion, the Church finds the inexhaustible source of its mission, which is accomplished through thelove.
Jesus says in today's Gospel: «Whoever receives my commandments and observes them, this is the one who loves me. Whoever loves me will be loved by Father mio e anch’io lo amerò e mi manifesterò a lui» (v. 21).
it is thelove which introduces us to the knowledge of Jesus, thanks to the action of this "Lawyer" who Jesus sent, that is, the Holy Spirit. L'love to God e al prossimo è il più grande comandamento del Vangelo.
The Lord calls us today to respond generously to the evangelical call tolove, placing God al centro della nostra vita e dedicandoci al servizio dei fratelli, specialmente i più bisognosi di sostegno e di consolazione. (…)
Every day one must learn the art of loving. (…) every day one must patiently follow the school of Christ, every day you have to forgive and look Jesus, and this, with the help of this "Advocate", of this Consoler who Jesus sent to us which is the Holy Spirit. (Regina Caeli, May 21, 2017)
