Every Catholic Man - Sunday Gospel Bible Study
Learn more about how a man can grow in happiness at EveryCatholicMan.com, including daily Gospel devotions from the Mass for every day of the year. The EveryCatholicMan.com podcast can help a man draw closer to Jesus Christ, learn the Catholic faith and grow in happiness by becoming a better Catholic Son and Catholic Father. In every episode, a man can hear the Gospel reading from the Holy Catholic Mass, hear what Jesus is accomplishing, discover what can lead a man to be more awed by Jesus Christ, grow in happiness, learn from the Catechism, and take action to practice what Jesus and the Catholic Church is teaching in the Gospel. Matthew James Christoff is a Catholic convert and evangelist of Catholic men. Matthew's extensive work to help Catholic men draw closer to Jesus Christ and grow in happiness can be found at EveryCathoilcMan.com. At EveryCatholicMan.com can find daily Gospel devotions from the Mass for every day of the year and a comprehensive set of tools that can help a man grow in holiness and happiness. Matthew is a co-founder of the Catholic Men's Leadership Alliance and HeroicMen.com, the founder of the New Evangelization Project and CatholicManNight.com, and is featured in the Knights of Columbus Into the Breach Video Series. Matthew's professional career includes being a strategy consultant for Fortune 50 companies and a brand manager in a major consumer products company. Matthew has a Masters in Theology from the Augustine Institute, a Masters in Business and a Civil Engineering degree from Purdue University. Matthew is married to his childhood sweetheart, has four married adult children and grandchildren.
Every Catholic Man - Sunday Gospel Bible Study
Episode 185 - The Holy Catholic Church celebrates Pentecost - May 19, 2024 - Jn 20:19-23
Jesus reveals He will send the Holy Spirit to those who believe. Every Catholic man can grow in happiness by persistently seeking the Gifts of the Spirit so he grow in holiness and by seeking the Fruits of the Spirit so he can grow in happiness.
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Jesus reveals He will send the Holy Spirit to those who believe. Every Catholic man can grow in happiness by persistently seeking the Gifts of the Spirit so he grow in holiness and by seeking the Fruits of the Spirit so he can grow in happiness.
Liturgy
Pentecost – Cycle A – Jn 20:19-23
Commentary
Despite Mary Magdalene’s eyewitness testimony of meeting the risen Jesus and Peter and John’s compelling investigation of Christ’s empty tomb, on Easter Sunday evening the Apostles remain holed up behind locked doors in the Upper Room, hiding in the dark from the murderous Jewish leadership.
Suddenly, as He promised (14:28; 16:16), Jesus mysteriously enters the Upper Room despite the “locked” door. Jesus, gives each of the Apostles His peace, reconciling with all those who abandoned Him on the Cross; this “peace” recalls and reaffirms the “peace” Jesus last gave them at the Last Supper in the same Upper Room when He warned them not to be afraid (14:27). Jesus comforts the frightened Apostles by showing His wounded hands and the spear wound in His chest, confirming He bears the brutal wounds of the Crucifixion; this is also a confirmation of the Resurrection of the Body. His peace is received and the Apostles believe and rejoice.
Drawing the disciples into actual communion and confirming their mission to evangelize the world, Jesus breathes on them and gives them His own Holy Spirit, consecrating them as Catholic priests and establishing the Sacrament of Holy Orders. Having forgiven and reconciled with the Apostles, Jesus explicitly gives these new priests of His Holy Catholic Church the power to forgive and retain the sins of men, establishing the Sacrament of Penance.
Be awed by Jesus Christ
Marvel at the mysterious and supernatural acts of Jesus recalled by His Holy Catholic Church at Pentecost: raised from the dead, the Son of God has a Glorified Body which transcends nature (can be disguised so even His closest disciples don’t recognize Him, passes through walls); He anoints the Apostles with the Holy Spirt, which is mysteriously transferred through His breath and establishes a new supernatural reality in the souls of His Apostles; as Divine Priest, He has the Divine Power to establish the Sacrament of Holy Orders, and to grant His new Catholic priests the supernatural power to forgive sins on earth through the Sacrament of Penance.
Fervently pray to receive the Gifts of the Holy Spirit
Realize: The beautiful Feast of Pentecost reminds every Catholic man that the constant help of the Holy Spirit, through His Gifts, is necessary for salvation; no Catholic man can become a saint and be received into Heaven without the Spirit.
Believe: Reflect upon the vow of the Creed, “I believe in the Holy Spirit” (CCC 687-747), the Holy Spirit and the Church (CCC 731-747), and the Gifts of the Holy Spirit (CCC 1830-1831).
Pray: Holy Spirit, give me all of Your Gifts of the Spirit (Fear of the Lord, Piety, Knowledge, Fortitude, Counsel, Understanding and Wisdom) so that I can one day become a saint and be received into Heaven.
Grow in happiness through the Fruits of the Holy Spirit
Realize: Every man wants to be happy but finds many sources of turmoil in his life: restlessness, confusion, loss of purpose, sinful desires, illness, broken relationships, financial hardship, lack of physical safety; every Catholic man who seeks Christ receives the Fruits of the Spirit to not only endure turmoils that break other men, but find the true happiness of loving God and others.
Believe: Reflect upon how the Holy Spirit Comes to your Aid (CCC 2670-2672, 2681) and the Fruits of the Holy Spirit (CCC 1832).
Pray: Holy Spirit, give me all Your Fruits (Peace, Love, Joy, Patience, Kindness, Generosity,Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-control, Forbearance, Modesty, Chastity) so I find happiness even in turmoil and vibrantly love the Blessed Trinity and all the beautiful souls You bring into my life.