Pentecost Sunday
On the feast of the Pentecost, it is generally customary to focus on the spectacular. The awesomeness of tongues of fire, the speaking in multiple tongues, the mighty wind and the fiery speech of Peter are indeed representative of this event that transformed the history of the world. But that is in the Acts of the Apostles. Our gospel reading is from the gospel of John and in this gospel the Pentecost is associated more closely with the death of Jesus and the resurrection appearances. So, for example, John has Jesus give the spirit to the people present at the foot of the cross. Jn 19:30 says, “When Jesus had taken the wine, he said, "It is finished." And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit. Scripture scholars tell us that John was referring not just to Jesus’ death but that he also meant that Jesus handed over the Holy Spirit. Similarly, in today’s gospel reading, Jesus said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” This is John’s Pentecost. John does this because for him the church is born at the foot of the cross with the blood and water flowing from his side.
Today, as I reflect with you on the Pentecost, I am inclined to stay away from the spectacular. Not the mighty wind, not the tongues of fire, not the speaking in tongues; I want to focus on “breath.” The reason I am focusing on ‘breath’ is because the gospel reading tells us that Jesus performed the strangest of actions at this resurrection appearance. He ‘breathed’ on the disciples. Jesus did not to that prior to his resurrection in human flesh. Nowhere in the entire gospels do we have Jesus performing this action. Neither do have any data that any of the miracles at Jesus performed was by breath.
Breath is a small thing. Most of the time, we are not even aware that we are breathing. Breath is gentle, breath is humble, breath is tender, breath is calm; yet we could do without a moment without breath. A small thing like breath is the difference between life and death.
Why does Jesus breathe on the disciples?
1) Jesus breathing in indicative of intimacy. Jesus breathing on the disciples takes us back to the book of Genesis. When God formed the first man and woman, God breathed into their nostrils. As human beings, the one thing we try to do is avoid breathing upon or into one another. Sharing breath is almost repulsive except, of course, if you think of a mother and her baby; or if you think of human beings sharing breath within the context of God’s gift of sexuality. There is something common to both these contexts – closeness and intimacy. God breathed on the first human beings because that one breath would define God’s relationship with us. It was a relationship of closeness, intimacy and inexplicable love. God would give up his last breath on the cross to cement God’s bond with humanity. Now, as the risen Lord, Jesus once more breathes into his disciples. In this way, he was alluring them from misunderstanding, denial, betrayal, coldness, fear, lack of zeal into a relationship of closeness, trust, intimacy and love. For the disciples, there was life before this breath and life after this breath. The breath was all the difference.
2) Jesus breathing is indicative of life. As I said in my first point, we do not share breath easily. Yet, there are situations where even strangers are drawn into sharing breath. Although, medical experts are now suggesting that CPR is not necessary to revive patients any more, the idea of a CPR is a good way to understand God’s action in the book of Genesis. God breathes into the nostrils of human beings and by that one single act, they begin to live. The life and the breath they would have would be the very life and breath of God. Jesus now breathes into the disciples because the life they will henceforth live would be his life. They would have his breath, his life in them. They would live because God lived in them. Their life would be the life of Jesus. Their breath would be the breath of Jesus. They could even forgive sins just like Jesus. They would become his presence in the world. Jesus wanted them to breathe his breath in the world. Jesus wanted them to live God’s life upon the earth.
3) Jesus breathing is indicative of peace. Before Jesus breathed on the disciples, thrice, he said to them, “Peace be with you!” And then, Scripture says, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” I want you to imagine that exact moment. Imagine the love, the life the presence and the peace of God coming into the disciples right at that precise moment. Just as at the very first act of creation everything was new, the disciples would now be transformed into a new creation. Amidst all the turmoil, all the fear, all the persecution, all the opposition, all the discord they would now know that God was close to them, with them, and within them. That knowledge was the gift of peace that Jesus was offering them when he breathed into them. With this knowledge they would walk all the way into martyrdom. Nothing mattered to them except the breath of God whether it was on the earth or in heaven.
Today, I want us do something unique. I would like us all to just sit quiet for a minute or two. If it helps, close your eyes. I would like you to imagine Jesus right in front of you. And imagine that he bends over your face and breathes into you the sweet breath of life. Do that many times. Breathe in deeply this breath of God. Love, closeness, presence, life and peace…. Allow Jesus to breathe into you. May we leave from this Church the same way the disciples left the upper room after the Pentecost. Amen
- Fr. Satish Joseph