Pentecost, marking the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Jesus’ disciples, is celebrated 50 days after Easter and signifies the birth of the Church. Initially hesitant, the disciples were emboldened by the Spirit to evangelize. This day emphasizes the importance of being open to receiving the Holy Spirit and utilizing its gifts. Pentecost serves as a reminder that we are guided by the Spirit in our discipleship journey. Key themes include evangelization, the fruits of the Spirit, and reconciliation, highlighting how the Spirit empowers us to spread Jesus’ message. It concludes the Easter season, reaffirming our mission to be active disciples.
Click on the appropriate year below to see resources, themes, homilies, and more for Pentecost. See how to determine the correct year.
Pentecost Year A
Pentecost Year B
Pentecost Year C
Mass Readings for Pentecost Year A
See resources, homilies, and more for the Pentecost Year A readings here.
- First reading – Acts 2:1-11: When the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles, they were able to speak in diverse languages, and this enabled people from different nations to comprehend the gospel’s message. This occurrence marked the inception of the Church, and it led to the conversion of thousands of individuals.
- Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 104: Praise God for His greatness and His manifold works on earth. God’s spirit has the power to create and renew all things.
- Second reading – 1 Corinthians 12:3B-7, 12-13: There are various gifts given by the Holy Spirit, which are meant to be used to benefit the entire body of Christ. Just as the human body is made up of many parts that work together, so too are the members of the Church united as one body in Christ through the Spirit.
- Gospel – John 20:19-23: On the evening after his resurrection, Jesus appeared to his fearful disciples, greeting them with peace. He showed them his wounds, confirming his identity, which filled them with joy. Jesus commissioned them, as the Father sent him, and bestowed the Holy Spirit, granting them authority to forgive sins.
Mass Readings for Pentecost Year B
See resources, homilies, and more for the Pentecost Year B readings here.
- First Reading – Acts 2:1-11: During Pentecost, disciples filled with the Holy Spirit spoke in various languages, astounding the diverse crowd in Jerusalem, as each heard the wonders of God in their own tongue.
- Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 104: I praise the immensely great Lord, filled with awe at His varied creations. I rejoice in Him, knowing He renews the earth, giving and recalling life with His Spirit.
- Second Reading – 1 Corinthians 12:3B-7, 12-13: No one can say “Jesus is Lord” without the Holy Spirit. Diverse spiritual gifts, services, and functions come from one Spirit, uniting us as Christ’s body, transcending all divisions.
- Alternate Second Reading – Galatians 5:16-25: Live guided by the Spirit, not the flesh’s desires which oppose the Spirit. The flesh’s acts are clear, but the Spirit’s fruit brings virtues like love and self-control. In Christ, we overcome fleshly desires, walking in the Spirit’s harmony.
- Gospel – John 20:19-23: On the evening following his resurrection, Jesus miraculously appeared to his disciples, who were hiding in fear. He greeted them with a message of peace and showed them his crucifixion wounds. Their fear turned to joy. Jesus then empowered them with the Holy Spirit and the authority to forgive sins.
- Alternate Gospel – John 15:26-27; 16:12-15: Jesus promised his disciples the Advocate, the Spirit of truth, sent from the Father, would testify about Him and guide them into all truth. The Spirit, speaking not independently but from Jesus’ teachings, will disclose future events and glorify Jesus, revealing the deep truths that belong to both Jesus and the Father.
Mass Readings for Pentecost Year C
See resources, homilies, and more for the Pentecost Year C readings here.
- First Reading – Acts 2:1-11: During Pentecost, the disciples, filled with the Holy Spirit, spoke in diverse languages, astonishing a multinational crowd in Jerusalem as each heard God’s wonders in their own tongue.
- Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 104: I praise the Lord, overwhelmed by His vast and varied creations. I seek to please Him with my thoughts, rejoicing as He refreshes the earth with His life-giving Spirit.
- Second Reading – Corinthians 12:3B-7, 12-13: Declaring “Jesus is Lord” requires the Holy Spirit. Diverse spiritual gifts, services, and functions are from one Spirit, uniting us in Christ’s body, transcending all differences.
- Alternate Second Reading – Romans 8:8-17: Living by the Spirit, not the flesh, aligns us with God. Christ’s Spirit in us promises life despite mortal bodies. Led by this Spirit, we are God’s children, heirs with Christ, sharing in His glory through our sufferings.
- Gospel – John 20:19-23: In a locked room, Jesus appeared to his fearful disciples, offering peace. He showed his crucifixion wounds, turning their fear to joy. Jesus then commissioned them, as the Father had sent him, and bestowed the Holy Spirit, granting them authority to forgive or retain sins.
- Alternate Gospel – John 14:15-16, 23B-26: Jesus emphasized the importance of obedience to his commandments as a sign of true love for him. He promised the Father would send an Advocate, the Holy Spirit, to be with his followers forever. This Spirit will teach and remind them of Jesus’ teachings, which are also the Father’s. Jesus and the Father will dwell with those who adhere to these teachings.
More About Lectionary Cycles
Learn more about the difference between a Bible and a Lectionary, how the Lectionary is arranged, and translations of the Bible used at Mass for Pentecost.
The liturgical cycle is a three-year sequence of A, B, and C.
- 2024 is Year B
- 2025 is Year C
- 2026 is Year A
- 2027 is Year B
- 2028 is Year C
- 2029 is Year A
- 2030 is Year B
- 2031 is Year C
- … and so on
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