SCRIPTURE READINGS
Psalm 104:24-35 IB
Yhwh, what variety you have created, arranging everything so wisely! The earth is filled with your creativity! There’s the vast expanse of the sea, teeming with countless creatures, living things large and small, with the ships going to and fro and Leviathan whom you made to frolic there. All creatures depend on you to feed them at the proper time. Give it to them—they gather it up. Open your hand—they are well satisfied. Hide your face—they are terrified. Take away their breath—they die and return to dust. Send back your breath—fresh life begins and you renew the face of the earth. Glory forever to Yhwh! May you find joy in your creation! You glance at the earth and it trembles; you touch the mountains and they smoke! I will sing to you all my life, I will make music for my God as long as I live. May these reflections of mine give God as much pleasure as God gives me! May the corrupt vanish from the earth and the violent exist no longer! Bless Yhwh, my soul! Alleluia!
Acts 2:1-21 NRSV
When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.
5 Now there were devout Jews from every people under heaven living in Jerusalem. 6 And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. 7 Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.” 12 All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.”
14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “Fellow Jews[a] and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. 15 Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. 16 No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:
17 ‘In the last days it will be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams.
18 Even upon my slaves, both men and women,
in those days I will pour out my Spirit,
and they shall prophesy.
19 And I will show portents in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and smoky mist.
20 The sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day.
21 Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’