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Let us prepare ourselves for the Word of God as it comes to us in the reading of Holy Scripture.
Our hearts and minds are open.

Reader 1 Psalm 22:1-2

My God, my God,
why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far away,
so far away from saving me,
so far away from the words of my groaning?
I cry all day, my God, but you never answer;
I call all night long, and sleep deserts me.
My God, my God,

why have you forsaken me?

Song “I Dreamed A Dream”

Reader 1
Jesus told the disciples, “Wait, rather, for what God has promised. . .Itʼs not for you to know times or dates that Abba God has decided. You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; then you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth.” [Acts 1:4, 7]

Wind makers start

Reader 1
When the day of Pentecost arrived, they all met in one room. Suddenly they heard what sounded like a violent, rushing wind from heaven; the noise filled the entire house in which they were sitting. [Candles lighted, fans turned on. . .] Something appeared to them that seemed like tongues of fire; these separated and came to rest on the head of each one. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in other languages as she enabled them.

Reader 1 and Claudia in Spanish, simultaneously
Now there were devout people living in Jerusalem from every nation under heaven, and at this sound they all assembled. But they were bewildered to hear their native languages being spoken. They were amazed and astonished:

Choir [in English, in unison]:
Surely all of these people speaking are Galileans! How does it happen that each of us hears these words in our native tongue? We are

Choir [in unison]
We hear them preaching each in our own language, about the marvels of God!

Reader 1
All were amazed and disturbed. They asked each other,

Choir:
What does this mean?

Reader 1
But others said mockingly,

Kim
Theyʼve drunk too much new wine.

Reader 1
Then Peter stood up with the Eleven and addressed the crowd:

Reader 9
Women and men of Judea, and all you who live in Jerusalem! Listen to what I have to say! These people are not drunk as you think – itʼs only nine oʼclock in the morning! No, its what Joel the prophet spoke of:

In the days to come-
it is Our God who speaks-
I will pour out my Spirit
on all humankind.
Your daughters and sons will prophesy,
your young people will see visions,
and your elders will dream dreams.
Even on the most insignificant of my people,
both women and men,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.
And I will display wonders
in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below:
blood, fire and billowing smoke.
The sun will be turned into darkness
and the moon will become blood
before the coming of the
great and sublime day of Our God.
And all who call upon the name
of Our God will be saved. . .

Reader 1
When they heard this, they were deeply shaken. They asked Peter and the other disciples,

Choir [in unison] “What are we to do?”

Reader 9
You must repent and be baptized, each one of you, in the name of Jesus the Messiah, that your sins may be forgiven; then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. It was to you and your children that the promise was made, and to all those still far off whom Our God calls.”

Reader 1
They devoted themselves to the apostlesʼ instructions and the communal life, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Those who believed lived together, shared all things in common; they would sell their property and goods, sharing the proceeds with one another as each had need. They met in the Temple and they broke bread together in their homes every day. With joyful and sincere hearts they took their meals in common, praising God and winning the approval of all the people.

For the word of God in scripture, for the word of God among us, for the word of God within us.
Thanks be to God.