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The Holy Spirit comes
On 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.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” John 20:19-23
Jesus told His apostles at the last supper “But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go. For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you” (John 16:7). The Advocate Jesus was speaking of was the Holy Spirit who will lead us into all truth (John 16:13). After His resurrection on Easter night Jesus appeared to His apostles and breathed the Holy Spirit into them which gave them new life just like when God the Father breathed into Adams nostrils giving life to his body in the garden of Eden (Genesis 2:7). The Holy Spirit fell on Mary and the apostles again at Pentecost after Jesus ascended into heaven (Acts 2:2-4). With the power of the Holy Spirit the apostles changed the world. Before receiving the new life of the Holy Spirit the apostles were scared and hiding from those who were persecuting them. After a double dose of the Holy Spirit they built a Holy, Catholic and Apostolic church that spread throughout the known world. In the middle of a spiritually dark society the early Catholic Church overcame persecution and martyrdom making Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire that once tried to kill them (38). The Holy Spirit comes into our lives two times as well in the official life of the church in the sacraments of baptism and confirmation. In these sacraments the very same Holy Spirit that fell on the apostles is infused into our soul giving us new life and bringing us in union with God. The three functions of the Holy Spirit in our lives are to bring us into union with God, sanctification and help in performing the mission God has given us in this world. The Holy Spirit is a gift that is deposited into our souls in the sacraments of baptism and confirmation but He doesn’t just start His sanctifying power in our lives automatically. We need to cooperate with God’s grace and unwrap this infinitely powerful and mighty treasure of a Gift.