The Breath of Pentecost
I've been reflecting on the Latin word, a verb which typically would be listed in a dictionary as: spiro, spirare, spiravi, spiratus If I remember correctly, because Latin is an inflected language, wherein verbs are conjugated, the various endings of the verb meaning various things, unlike English which uses helping words rather than endings, we have: I breathe, to breathe, I have breath, breath Our English word 'spirit' comes as a cognate from the participle, the fourth word listed above, 'spiratus', which translates 'breath'. The Gospels report that Jesus 'breathed on them' as he said, 'receive the Holy Spirit', i.e., 'receive the holy breath.' It is not just a play on words, although it is that, it is rather the recognition that life is defined by respiration (continuous breathing). When breathing stops, life stops. Receiving the Holy Spirit as we celebrate on Pentecost really means that we breathe God into our lives, and that onl