PENTECOST HOMILY, JOHN 20:19-23, June 8, 2025
1. STORY
John’s business
was selling balloons at an amusement park. One day a boy approached him and was
fascinated by the different colored balloons. Accidentally, a red balloon slipped out of
John’s hand and rose up into the sky. The
boy asked John if he released a black colored balloon would it also go up. John explained to the boy that the color of
the
balloon was not
important. What was important was the
air inside of the balloon that made it rise. What is important for us is not the color of
our skin but the Holy Spirit in our heart.
2. GOSPEL, JOHN
20:19-23
A) RECEIVE THE
HOLY SPIRIT
After his
resurrection while visiting the apostles, Jesus gave them the gift of the Holy
Spirit, “He breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.” In our first
reading, Acts 2:1-11, the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles like a wind,
“Suddenly from up in the sky there came a noise like a strong, driving wind”
which is invisible and also fire, Tongues of fire appeared,” which is a sign of
God’s presence in the Bible. So, the
Holy Spirit is God’s invisible power in us.
B) AS HE FATHER
HAS SENT ME SO I SEND YOU
Jesus has given
us the Holy Spirit because he has a task we must carry out, “As the Father has
sent me, so I send you.” Just as in our
first reading, Acts 2:1-11, the apostles preached the gospel, so too does Jesus
want us to do the same.
3. APPLICATION TO
LIFE
A) THE POWER OF
THE HOLY SPIRIT
There are many
invisible powers in our life.
Wind can move a
sail boat, electricity can produce light in a light bulb, and radio waves make
the mobile phone possible. The Holy Spirit, God’s invisible power, can guide us
on our life’s journey, teach us the truth and comfort us in our sorrow. This same Spirit gives us the courage and
ability to preach the gospel.
B) Sharing the
gospel
Just as a thirsty
person needs water, a hungry person needs food and sick person needs health, so
too do we need Jesus. Jesus is the
living water, the bread of life and the physician who can heal us. Because there are so many spiritually needy
persons, Jesus wants us to tell others that he is the source of peace,
happiness and eternal life.
4. CONCLUSION
Just as a balloon
rises because of the air inside it, so too are we able to rise, do good things.
Jesus has given us the Holy Spirit,
God’s invisible power, so that we have the courage and ability to preach the
gospel, tell others that Jesus is the source of happiness, peace and eternal
happiness.