Scripture Scribbles: June 8, 2025 - Pentecost Sunday

the Gospel

John 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."

the scribble

The calm after the turbulence. The quiet after all the chaos. The solace after all the anxieties. 

Today’s gospel is a very good reminder to us that the Holy Spirit is powerful and special. Jesus bestowed it to his friends after His resurrection. Upon receiving the Holy Spirit, we know what happened to Jesus’ apostles. On Pentecost, the followers of Christ were filled with the Holy Spirit that they turned courageous to become witnesses of Christ. They were on fire. They became steadfast, focused, renewed, and passionate.  

Peace be with you. This has been said numerous times in the Bible. However, in this particular gospel, it really felt extra special. It did so because for the apostles’ troubled hearts and minds, peace was exactly what they needed during that time. And oh, how they welcomed it. 

The disciples were no longer scared. They stopped hiding behind closed doors for fear of the Jews and stopped trying to be inconspicuous. Because they finally understood what it meant to be witnesses of Jesus’ life and love, thanks to the Holy Spirit and the gifts that came with it. 

The Lord commissioned his followers to forgive or retain sins. They were given this load of responsibility. Thanks to the Holy Spirit, they were able to carry out this huge mission.

Like the disciples, we too, need the Holy Spirit. Do we always pray to receive it also? Do we invoke the Holy Spirit to guide us in our everyday lives? When do we ever mention the Holy Spirit in our prayers? I’m afraid I often forget it in my prayers. 

What happened to me yesterday was no coincidence. I believe it was the intervention of the Holy Spirit that led me to re-writing this gospel reflection. I submitted my gospel reflection one week in advance so that I didn’t have to worry about it anymore. However, while in church yesterday, I realized I picked the gospel for Pentecost Vigil instead of the gospel for Pentecost Sunday mass during the day.

First, I felt surprised that there were two gospels. But next, I was overwhelmed with relief because had I not attended an anticipated mass yesterday, I wouldn’t have known my mistake. I would have been rushed to correct my work and who knows how my gospel reflection would have looked like then. 

I’m saying thank you so much Father God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit, for guiding my path and giving me a second chance to fix what I did wrong. 

It’s not too late to always include the Holy Spirit in our prayers. It would be terrific to have the Holy Spirit in our lives because when we do so, people will see the Lord in us. And when they do, they will see pure goodness.

Come Holy Spirit, bless this unworthy servant, that I may carry out my mission well, without expecting for anything in return. Come Holy Spirit, purify my intentions, that they may always be out of love, and not out of any ulterior motives. Amen.

Today’s devotion was written by Edwina Yu