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Breath of the Spirit

Pastoral, Liturgical, Teaching, and Social Justice Moments brought to you by www.DignityUSA.org.

Breath of the Spirit is DignityUSA’s electronic spiritual and liturgical resource for our members and potential members. Nothing can replace your chapter or other faith community, but we hope you will find further support here for integrating your spirituality with your sexuality and all the strands of your life.

We welcome relevant homilies, inspirational writings, social justice opportunities, or theological articles from other sources also — particularly from wise women and men who can help us grow as gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) and allied Catholic/Christians. You may volunteer to help with this program or send your comments by e-mailing info@DignityUSA.org ATTN: Breath of the Spirit.

MAY 28, 2006: THE ASCENSION OF JESUS

Readings: 
Acts 1:1-11
Ephesians 4:1-13
Mark 16:15-20

Following a pattern found in many other biblical "departures," Luke uses Jesus' ascension as an occasion for the Master to give final instructions to his disciples. Jesus is specific in what he expects of them.

May 14, 2006: FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

Readings: 
Acts 9:26-31
I John 3:18-24
John 15:1-8

We know from Paul's letters that things weren't always as peaceful and well-ordered in the early Christian communities as Luke implies in his Acts of the Apostles. Thankfully today's first reading gives us a hint that everything wasn't always copasetic, even in Acts.

May 7, 2006: FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

Readings: 
Acts 4:8-12
I John 3:1-2
John 10:11-18

We frequently forget the authors of the Christian Scriptures based their narratives and quotes of Jesus on something other than what they actually saw the historical Jesus do or heard him say. None of them had ever come into contact with the carpenter from Nazareth between 6 BCE and 30 CE. They had often heard the stories about him with which the early Christian preachers filled their homilies and sermons. Yet the only Jesus they personally encountered was the risen Jesus.

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