READINGS FOR PENTECOST WEEK

WHY DOES THE CHURCH IGNORE THE HOLY SPIRIT?

From 1980 to 2000 the Church of England celebrated the feast of Pentecost by having a complete week of Bible readings on the Holy Spirit. But in 2000 the new service book, ‘Common Worship’ abandoned that inspiring practice of the ancient church, dating back fifteen hundred years. This was because in 1963 the Council for the Constitution of the Sacred Liturgy (in Rome) decided to suppress the Octave (8 days = a full week) of Pentecost on the grounds that it was only came into being in the 6th century. It made the Roman Liturgy the poorer, and since 2000 also the Anglican liturgy.

But help is at hand! We can do our own Pentecost celebration. Below are my suggestions for daily readings for the week after Pentecost, i.e. now. Perhaps one reading in the morning and one in the evening. (They are my own suggestions. I have not tried to copy what we know of other schemes of reigns for this period). My hope is simply that they will be able to help us pray “Come, Holy Spirit”.