Jesus Breathes the Holy Spirit

Today's Reflections

 

 

 

Jesus Breathes the Holy Spirit 

http://graceandspace.org

Jn 20:19-23

¹⁹On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” ²⁰When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. ²¹[Jesus] said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” ²²And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the holy Spirit. ²³Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”

Reflection:
 

Receive the Holy Spirit. As Jesus completes his mission, by his dying and rising, he now gives the Holy Spirit as he breathes on the disciples. Jesus’ action recalls the creation account of God forming man of clay and blowing into it the breath of life so that man became a living being (cf Gn 2:7). Jesus is transforming the disciples to be new persons, giving them new life. They are recreated into a new and lasting relationship with God. They are made whole and one again with God.

The Holy Spirit takes the place, and continues the work, of Jesus when he returns to the Father. The role of the Holy Spirit is twofold.

First, the Holy Spirit guides us on the way of salvation. He leads us to the Father. He is our way to Jesus. We have to listen to the promptings of the Spirit and do what the Spirit advises us to do.

Second, the Holy Spirit makes us understand the words, the ways, and the will of Jesus. The Spirit gives the courage and strength, as he did with the apostles, to bear witness to the gospel to the point of death. The Spirit revitalizes and renews us, like the apostles, to live the faith.

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithfuland enkindle in them the fire of your love.