Pentecost - Birthday of the Church

Reflect on the birth of the Church at Pentecost in this weekend's gospel.

Choose one of the following activities as a way to further reflect on the Sunday readings as a family:

• Jesus entrusted his disciples with the mission of forgiving sins. When have you needed forgiveness from the members of your family? Talk about ways your family can continue the disciple’s mission of forgiving sins.
• The gift of the Holy Spirit enables us to grow in acceptance and understanding of one another. Each evening at the dinner table, discuss one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit and ways that your family can live out that gift. Gifts of the Spirit: Wisdom, Understanding, Knowledge, Counsel, Courage, Reverence, Wonder and Awe.
• Pentecost is the birthday of the Church. To help celebrate, bake a birthday cake for dessert. Decorate the cake with the color red, to symbolize the Holy Spirit.
• What keeps your family from being one in Christ? Where is reconciliation needed? What can you do to help heal your family? Where do you see the presence of the Spirit?