Pentecost

Pentecost celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit. It marks the birth of the Church. In all three years, the first reading tells how the Holy Spirit came down on the disciples. They spoke in different languages, and people from many nations understood them. This shows that the Gospel is for everyone.

The Gospel readings show Jesus giving peace and sending His followers to continue His work. In Year A, Jesus promises the Spirit will guide them. In Year B, He breathes on them and gives them the Spirit. In Year C, He says the Spirit will teach and remind them of His words. The message is clear: the Holy Spirit helps us live the faith and share it with others.

Click on the appropriate year below to see resources, themes, homilies, and more. See how to determine the correct year.

Pentecost Sunday Year A
Pentecost Sunday Year B
Pentecost Sunday Year C

Mass Readings for Pentecost Sunday Year A

See resources, homilies, and more for the Pentecost Sunday 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 Sunday Year B

See resources, homilies, and more for the Pentecost Sunday 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 Sunday Year C

See resources, homilies, and more for the Pentecost Sunday 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.

Lookup Other Liturgical Dates in the Lectionary

The Bible and the Lectionary both include Scripture, but they are used in different ways. The Bible has all the books of the Old and New Testaments. It can be read in any order for study, prayer, or reflection. The Lectionary is a selection of readings from the Bible, arranged for use at Mass. It follows a set schedule that matches the Church’s liturgical year. This helps Catholics hear key parts of Scripture during different seasons like Advent, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost.

The Lectionary is divided into sections for Sundays, weekdays, and feast days. Each reading has a lectionary number. Sunday readings follow a three-year cycle: Year A (Matthew), Year B (Mark), and Year C (Luke). The Gospel of John is read during special seasons like Easter and Pentecost. Weekday readings follow a two-year cycle: Year I and Year II. These cycles help Catholics hear more of the Bible over time and stay in tune with the Church year.

How to Determine the Liturgical Year

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

Pentecost is the day the Church remembers the gift of the Holy Spirit. The readings tell how the Spirit came down on the disciples like wind and fire. They were filled with courage and spoke in many languages. People from different nations could understand them. This shows that the message of Jesus is for all.

In Year A, Jesus promises the Spirit will live in His followers. He says the Spirit will help them stay close to Him. In Year B, Jesus gives the Spirit and sends the disciples to forgive sins. In Year C, Jesus says the Spirit will teach and remind them of all He said. The Spirit gives peace and strength.

Pentecost is not just about the past. It shows us that the Spirit is still with us. The Spirit helps us live with faith and share the message of Jesus.

The 50 days of Easter end with Pentecost. But the work of the Church keeps going, led by the Spirit.

The readings for Pentecost remind us that we are not alone. The Holy Spirit is still with the Church. The Spirit helps us speak the truth, forgive, and love others. Think about how the Spirit moves in your life. Is there someone you need to forgive or help?

Take a few minutes to read or listen to the readings for Pentecost. Then share in the comments what stood out to you. Did you notice something new? What does Pentecost mean for you this year? Let’s learn from one another and grow in faith together.