John's account of the giving of the Holy Spirit on Easter differs from the account of the Pentecost event in the Acts of the Apostles.
Still, his short account with its double salutation of 'Peace be with you" gives that common greeting new significance for the early followers of Jesus and for us today.
Coupled with the commission of being sent forth as Jesus had been sent by the Father, it sets the stage for their reception of the Holy Spirit with its power and responsibility of forgiveness.
Once upon a time a new family moved into a neighborhood. It was a nice neighborhood and it was very close to where the Daddy worked, so close he could walk to work. There was only one thing wrong with the neighborhood. Most people weren’t Irish! Yes, that’s true there are such neighborhoods! They were Mexican and Thai, Jewish and Korean, Japanese and Indian, Polish and Columbian, Lebanese and Chinese and just about every other nationality that you could imagine. The children in the neighborhood swarmed around the new kids. Are you really Irish? We don’t have any Irish living in our neighborhood.
What’s it like to be Irish?
Can you teach us Irish songs and dances and tell us Irish stories?
God made us all different and we enjoy it!
All Irish neighborhoods are BORING!
O living God, come and make our souls temples of thy Spirit.
Baptize thy whole Church with fire, that the divisions soon may cease, and that it may stand before the world as a pillar and buttress of thy truth.
Grant us all the fruits of thy Holy Spirit: brotherly love, joy, peace, patience, goodwill and faithfulness.
May the Holy Spirit speak by the voice of thy servants, here and everywhere, as they preach thy word.
Send thy Holy Spirit, the comforter, to all who face adversity, or who are the victims of men's wickedness.
Preserve all nations and their leaders from hatred and war, and build up a true community among nations, through the power of thy Spirit.
Spirit of knowledge and devotion, Spirit of obedience to the Lord.
31 May the glory of the LORD endure for ever, may the LORD rejoice in his works.