A Once-and-coming Spirit at Pentecost: Essays on the Liturgical Readings Between Easter and Pentecost, Taken from the Acts of the Apostles and from the Gospel According to John

Raymond Edward Brown

Jan 1994 · Liturgical Press

About this ebook

Father Brown completes his look at the great seasons of the liturgical year, making the rich insights of modern biblical exegesis conveniently available to all, with this volume for the season from Easter to Pentecost.

During this season the Church reads consecutively from the Acts of the Apostles, recounting the external life of the Church after Pentecost. The accompanying readings from the Gospel according to John portray the internal life of Christian disciples and promise a coming Paraclete to be sent by the Father. Father Brown's title A Once-and-Coming Spiritsignifies these two great biblical sources that he reflects on. He shows how these readings speak to our time as we live out the external history of a visible Church while internally drawing life from Jesus as branches on the vine. His comments offer an opportunity to appreciate the intent of the season after Easter and to prepare ourselves for the intensified gift of the spirit at Pentecost.

About the author

Fr. Raymond E. Brown, S.S., (1928-1998) was the Auburn Distinguished Professor of Biblical Studies at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. He was author of some forty books on the Bible and past president of three of the most important biblical societies in the world. By appointment of two popes (Paul VI in 1972, John Paul II in 1996) Brown was a member of the Roman Pontifical Biblical Commission. Time magazine called him "probably the premier Catholic Scripture scholar of the U.S."