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Pentecost Season · Pentecost Sunday: Vigil · Year A

Romans 8:22-27

Future Glory

May 24, 2026

Saint Paul, Anthony van Dyck
Saint Paul, Anthony van Dyck, c. 1618–1620Musée des Beaux-Arts de Valenciennes
A young Van Dyck, painted while he was still in Rubens's workshop: a broad, loosely brushed head with the paint left visibly wet.The Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words.Anthony van DyckA Flemish prodigy who worked in Rubens's studio as a teenager and went on to invent the look of English aristocratic portraiture.Musée des Beaux-Arts de ValenciennesA northern French municipal museum, strong in Flemish painting because of where it sits.Musée des Beaux-Arts de Valenciennes
Roman Lectionary
GospelJohn 7:37-39Jn 7:37-39
Second ReadingRom. 8:22-27Rom 8:22-27
First ReadingGen. 11:1-9Gn 11:1-9 orExod. 19:3-8a, 16-20bEx 19:3-8a, 16-20bAlt. 1st ReadingEzek. 37:1-14Ez 37:1-14 orJoel 3:1-5Jl 3:1-5
Responsorial PsalmPs. 104:1-2a, 24+35c, 27-28, 29b-30 (cf. 30)Ps 104:1-2a, 24+35c, 27-28, 29b-30 (cf. 30)

Overview & Insights

“The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” (Romans 8:18)

1. Suffering/glory (8:18) 2. Three groanings (8:19–27) a. Creation groans (hope for the revelation of the children of God) (8:19–22) b. Believers groan (firstfruits of the Spirit / by hope we were saved) (8:23–25) c. The Spirit groans (the Spirit helps us in our weaknesses) (8:26–27) 3. Suffering/glory (8:28–30)1 Each of these points—suffering/glory, the groaning of creation, the groaning of Christians, and the groaning of the Spirit—includes blessings of the age to come and the new covenant that have already dawned for Christians but are not yet complete.

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Commentary

Commentary on Romans 8:22-27 (Day of Pentecost)Commentary on Rom 8:22-27 (Day of Pentecost) Working Preacher

The lectionary voice on the Spirit interceding within our weakness.

Romans 8 CommentaryRom 8 Commentary Enduring Word · David Guzik

Verse by verse study of life in the Spirit and the groaning of creation.

Romans 8:22 CommentariesRom 8:22 Commentaries BibleHub

Classic commentators gathered on the Spirit's intercession.

Barnes' Notes: Romans 8Barnes' Notes: Rom 8 StudyLight

A historic verse by verse commentary on the passage.

Background & Word Study

Romans 8 (Douay-Rheims with Haydock)Rom 8 (Douay-Rheims with Haydock) New Advent · Catholic Encyclopedia

The Catholic text with Haydock's notes on the Spirit who prays within us.

Book of Romans Overview (Part 2)Book of Rom Overview (Part 2) BibleProject

Animated overview of life in the Spirit in the second half of Romans.

Romans 8:22 InterlinearRom 8:22 Interlinear BibleHub

Greek word by word of creation groaning in expectation.

The Church Fathers

Romans 8 - CatenaRom 8 - Catena Catena

Patristic comment on the Spirit and the groaning creation from the Church Fathers.

Questions preachers ask

What is creation waiting for?

The whole creation groans in labor pains, and we with it, awaiting the redemption of our bodies; present suffering is nothing beside the glory soon to be revealed.

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