Pentecost, at the Vigil, ABC
Genesis 11: 1-9 or
Exodus 19: 3-8a, 16-20b or
Ezekiel 37: 1-14 or
Joel 3: 1-5
Psalm 104
Romans 8: 22-27
John 7: 37-39

It is an ancient custom to keep a vigil on the night before Pentecost. In fact, it is customary today in many Jewish houses of study to keep the whole night awake, studying the Torah, in recognition that Pentecost commemorates the giving of the Torah to the people of Israel. In recognition of this, the Church provides four alternate “First Readings” for the Vigil of Pentecost, and makes provision for a vigil somewhat along the lines of the Vigil of Easter.

The first two Old Testament readings are constantly alluded to in the works of the early church fathers when writing about the first Pentecost: the Tower of Babel (from Genesis 11) and the giving of the Torah (from Exodus 19). The confusion of tongues at Babel is seen to have its reversal on the Day of Pentecost. A Byzantine hymn for this feast says:
In days of old, pride brought about a confusion of tongues
To the builders of the Tower of Babel,
But now the diversity of tongues enlightened the minds
And gave knowledge for the glory of God.
Then God punished the impious for their sin;
Now, Christ enlightened fishermen through His Spirit.
Then, the confusion of tongues was for the sake of punishment;
Now, there was variety so that voices could be joined in harmony
For the salvation of our souls!
The description of the giving of the law is prefaced by natural events which were part of the theophany: peals of thunder, lightning, a heavy cloud over the mountain. This, then would be contrasted with the “rush of a mighty wind” and the “tongues of fire” in the story of the first Christian Pentecost. A Byzantine hymn for this feast says:
Enveloped by the divine cloud,
Moses, the man of unsure speech, taught the Law written by God;
Wiping the dust from his eyes, he saw the One-Who-Is,
And he was initiated into the knowledge of the Spirit!
The prophecy of Ezekiel, with the valley of dry bones coming to life, is never quoted in the New Testament, is nonetheless an image of resurrection and renewal. “From the four winds, come, O Spirit! and breathe into these that they may come to life!”
Give homage to the sovereign power of God,
All you that venerate the substance of the divine brightness;
For Christ our benefactor works wonders
And illumines us for our salvation,
Filling us with the grace of the Spirit!
The prophecy of Joel is quoted by Peter in his sermon on this first Christian Pentecost.
“It will come to pass, says the Lord, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh.” Not just on the leaders, the prophets, the kings and priests—on everyone who is a part of the people.”
You pour out Your Spirit in abundance upon all flesh,
As You had promised, O Lord;
And the universe is filled with the knowledge of You,
For the Father has begotten You as a Son,
And the Holy Spirit proceeds from Him.
The Responsorial Psalm is the same one sung on Pentecost, imploring: “Lord, send out Your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth!” The Second Reading is from Romans, reflecting the Spirit’s work in all of creation—but also showing the Spirit as the one who animates the Christian community now, who helps us to pray and in fact “intercedes for us according to God’s will.” The Gospel for the Vigil is best understood by a reference to the Jewish calendar. In the fall of the year, the Feast of Booths (Sukkoth) is kept, during which prayers for rain are sung in procession, as the people beat the ground with the branches of the lulav. In the days of the Temple, the feast came to a conclusion with the ‘water festival,’ which was described by one of the Rabbis of the Talmudic era in this way: “One has not experienced joy, if one has not experienced the water-drawing feast.” Many scholars believe that it was at this time that Jesus made the statement we hear today, “On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and exclaimed, ‘Let anyone who thirsts come to Me and drink. As Scripture says, rivers of living water will flow from within him who believes in Me.’ He said this in reference to the Spirit, that those who came to believe in Him were to receive. There was, of course, no Spirit yet, because Jesus had not yet been glorified.”
When the feast was completed, You cried out in the midst of the Temple,
“All who thirst, come to Me and drink,
for whoever shall drink of this divine river
shall receive the streams of My teaching flowing from My side.
Whoever sees Me as the One sent by the divine Father
Shall be glorified with Me.
Therefore we cry out to You:
Glory to You, O Christ our God,
For You have poured out upon Your servants
The rich streams of Your love for all.

Pentecost, C
Acts 2: 1-11
Psalm 104
Romans 8: 8-17
John 20: 19-23

Today is the Day of Pentecost, the conclusion of the Great Fifty Days celebrating the Lord’s Resurrection. This feast is the Jewish feast of Shavuot (“Weeks”), a harvest feast which came to be understood as the commemoration of the giving of the Law to the Children of Israel at Mount Sinai. It was one of the three ‘pilgrimage feasts’ which called Jews to Jerusalem. The First Reading and Responsorial Psalm are proclaimed in all three lectionary cycles. This is reflected in the assembly of peoples described in the First Reading, from the Acts of the Apostles. The miraculous events of the first Christian Pentecost are shown as a reversal of the “Tower of Babel;” there, one tongue became many, and there was confusion; on Pentecost, though there are many tongues, all understand the one Good News as the apostles proclaimed it. The responsorial psalm pleads, “Lord, send out Your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth!” The Golden Sequence is appointed to be sung after the Second Reading today. Its splendid poetry celebrates the work of the Spirit in the church and the world, reminding us “Where You [i.e., the Spirit] are not, we have naught—nothing good in deed or thought, nothing free from taint of ill!”

In cycle C:
The Second Reading (from Romans) has Paul telling us, “You are not in the flesh; you are in the spirit.” What is being opposed here? When Paul speaks of “flesh,” he refers to humanity before its redemption in Christ—all of it: body, soul, mind, which has suffered from the fall. “Spirit,” for Paul in this context, is humanity redeemed, reborn in water and the Holy Spirit of God. But the reading goes on to speak of the Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead—the same Spirit that will give life to all who believe in Him. This Spirit bears witness that we are children of God and heirs of the kingdom with Christ Jesus. The Gospel has Jesus telling the disciples, “The Advocate, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My Name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.”

The Liturgy of the Hours is proper to this day, and begins with First Evening Prayer on Saturday night. At the end of Second Evening Prayer, the Paschal Candle is extinguished and taken to a place next to the baptismal font. The Easter season closes with that service. Ordinary Time begins on Monday morning.

This hymn is based on today’s Scriptures:

“Lord, now send your Spirit out!” Alleluia!
Hear the Church of Jesus shout. Alleluia!
Here renew your gifts of grace, Alleluia!
On all gathered in this place. Alleluia!

From disciples gathered here, Alleluia!
Spirit’s fire now purges fear; Alleluia!
Spirit’s wind, strong driving noise, Alleluia!
Stirs the praise each heart employs. Alleluia!

“Lord, now send your Spirit out!” Alleluia!
Free us from all sin and doubt. Alleluia!
O’er the earth, in ev’ry tongue, Alleluia!
Let Christ’s great good news be sung. Alleluia!

77.77 with alleluias
suggested tune, Llanfair

Propers from the Roman Gradual

at the Vigil Mass

Introit, first option: Caritas Dei (Rm. 5: 5,10,11; Ps. 103:1)
The love of God has been poured into our hearts, alleluia,
by his Spirit which dwells in us, alleluia, alleluia.
Bless the Lord, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless his holy Name.

Introit, second option: Dum sanctificatus (Ezek. 36:23-26; Ps. 34:1)
When I vindicate my holiness through you,
I will gather you from all the lands,
and I will sprinkle clean water upon you,
and you shall be cleansed from all your filthiness;
and I will give you a new Spirit.
I will bless the Lord at all times;
his praise will be ever in my mouth.

Offertory: Emitte Spiritum tuum (Ps. 104:30-31)
Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created,
And you shall renew the face of the earth.
Glory be to the Lord in all ages, alleluia.

Communion: Ultimo festivitatis die (Jn. 7:37-39)
(matches the Gospel)
On the last day of the feast, Jesus said:
“He who believes in me,
out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water.”
Now, this he said about the Spirit,
which those who believed in him were to receive,
alleluia, alleluia.

The Solemnity of Pentecost:
Mass during the day

Introit: Spiritus Domini (Wis. 1:7; Ps. 68:1)
The Spirit of the Lord has filled the whole world, alleluia;
and that which holds all things together
as well aware of what is said, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered;
let those who hate him flee before him.

Sequence: Veni Sancte Spiritus (sung after the Gospel Acclamation)

Offertory: Confirma hoc Deus (Ps. 68:28b-29)
Establish, O God, the thing which you have wrought in us.
For your temple’s sake, which is at Jerusalem,
shall kings bring presents unto you, alleluia.

Communion: Factus est repente (Acts 2: 2,4,11)
(matches the First Reading)
Suddenly there came a sound from heaven,
like the rush of a mighty wind,
where they were sitting,
and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit
and began to speak the wonderful works of God,
alleluia, alleluia.

Propers from the Simple Gradual

Pentecost Vigil
Entrance: BFW 184 (When the day of Pentecost had come . . . )
or BFW 493 (With the spirit of the Lord . . . )
Response: BFW 131 (Lord, send out your Spirit . . . )
or alleluia psalm BFW 186 or BFW 187
Offertory: BFW 189 (Confirm, O God, what you have done for us . . . )
Communion: BFW 191 (The Spirit, who proceeds from my Father . . . )
or BFW 496 (Be filled with the Holy Spirit . . . )
or BFW 497 (God will pour out the Spirit . . . )
or BFW 498 (Without measure is God’s gift . . . )

Pentecost Day
Entrance: BFW 184 (When the day of Pentecost had come . . . )
or BFW 493 (With the spirit of the Lord . . . )
Response: BFW 131 (Lord, send out your Spirit . . . )
or alleluia psalm BFW 186 or BFW 187
Sequence: BFW 188
Offertory: BFW 189 (Confirm, O God, what you have done for us . . . )
Communion: BFW 191 (The Spirit, who proceeds from my Father . . . )
or BFW 496 (Be filled with the Holy Spirit . . . )
or BFW 497 (God will pour out the Spirit . . . )
or BFW 498 (Without measure is God’s gift . . . )