Are You Breathing?

By Rev. Canon David B. Tabo-oy

v19It was late that Sunday evening, and the disciples were gathered together behind locked doors, because they were afraid of the Jewish authorities. Then Jesus came and stood among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. v20After saying this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were filled with joy at seeing the Lord. v21Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, so I send you.” v22Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. v23If you forgive people’s sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
… v27Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands; then reach out your hand and put it in my side. Stop your doubting, and believe!”
v28Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”
v29Jesus said to him, “Do you believe because you see me? How happy are those who believe without seeing me!” – (Read: John 20:19-31)
Aside from the heart beat, the most telling that a person is alive is the breathing. The risen Christ in our gospel lesson is not just an apparition. He speaks, “Peace be with you…”, he breathed, and again speaks, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” Jesus indeed is alive! These words spoken as Jesus breathed on the disciples are not often used in sermons on the Second Sunday of Easter. They are more popular during Pentecost Sunday when the church celebrates the descending of the Holy Spirit to the disciples.
Jesus breathed, sending his life energy to his disciples and to us. The Holy Spirit can come to us in dramatic ways, as in the 2nd chapter of the Book of Acts portrays:
“Suddenly there was a noise from the sky which sounded like a strong wind blowing, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. v3Then they saw what looked like tongues of fire which spread out and touched each person there. v4They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to talk in other languages, as the Spirit enabled them to speak.”
But it can also come in the simplest, most overlooked manner, in the very act of breathing. Could it be that as you read this, you are breathing some of the molecules that Jesus sent forth into the universe from the room where the disciples met? Could it be that the Holy Spirit is as near as your next breath? Could it be that insight and wisdom, courage and vitality, are as near as your next breath?
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Breathing is underrated as a Christian spiritual discipline. But this passage shows us that we can breathe with Jesus. Each breath can be a prayer and an opening to God’s Spirit. In locked doors where fear abounds, breath abides. Jesus greets the disciples with the words, “Peace be with you,” and then he breathes on and in them. Jesus is breathing peace, and invites us to do likewise.
It is not accidental that the word “inspiration” has to do with drawing air into the lungs. Each breath can be inspiring, taking in the Holy Breath of God and then breathing it forth into the universe. Inspiration embodies omnipresence. Resurrection breath is everywhere—in locked rooms and closed hearts—waiting to liberate us from all that brings anxiety and alienation.
Peace is only a breath away. Today, why not practice breathing the resurrection? Take time to read these words, making them your own, “Jesus breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’” Better yet, why not personalize these words:
Jesus is breathing in my life and I am receiving the Holy Spirit. Every breath I take opens me to inspiration.
Every breath is a prayer. (The Patheos Religion Library)
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In the gospel according to John, Jesus appears to the disciples on Easter evening to give them the reassuring shalom, the Holy Spirit, and authority to proclaim the gospel. Thomas, who is absent when he shows them his hands and his side, says he must see these signs to believe. Jesus then blesses all who will follow in years to come, who will believe even without seeing the signs the apostles were shown. No locked doors, not even the locked doors of our hearts, can keep Jesus from entering to offer peace, invite us to mission, or reassure our doubts. We are assured that he not only accepts us as he finds us, but also lead us where we never imagined we would go.
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Thomas was disheartened, disillusioned and angry which made him hardhearted in his questioning and unwilling to accept the word of others. The episode paints, in dramatic fashion, the journey of many people from a position of total disbelief to one of absolute faith. Having doubts in our search for truth is nothing to be ashamed of and can actually turn out to be a growing point in the life of faith. Thomas was doubtful about the key issues of whether Jesus had risen from the dead and was actually alive. Therein lies the heart of our believing. Thomas with his intelligent questioning and his need for satisfactory answers is a good defense against the excesses of pious belief. In many ways he echoes moments of our own uncertainty when we question the religious values handed down to us. To digress, Thomas disposition is a good standard in today’s world of fake news posing convincingly to be the truth hyped in the social media and other platforms.
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Faith is an ongoing struggle in this life and there are moments of crisis when our minds are darkened and our vision of God is blurred by clouds of doubt. There is nothing comfortable about believing as it challenges us to change our lives as a result of our encounter with the risen Christ. He is present in our midst as much as he was in the early Christians and we are called to live our lives in his name. It is through believing that we enter into a relationship with Christ and enjoy the new life which he offers us.
‘Faith is our meeting with God and there will come moments in life when all else fails and we have nothing to fall back on except our faith.’ (Desmond Knowles)
Lord, help us all. ‘I believe, help thou my unbelief.’
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Resurrection means that Jesus is everywhere, inspiring all who breathe, giving life to deadened spirits and inspiring healthy embodiment. Breathe with Jesus’ resurrection breath and receive God’s ever-living Spirit. Breathe… stop your doubting… believe!
Let us pray.
Almighty and everlasting God, who in the Paschal mystery established the new covenant of reconciliation: Grant that all who have been reborn into the fellowship of Christ’s Body may show forth in their lives what they profess by their faith; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (ECP-BCP 2nd Sunday of Easter Collect)**