Breath brings life

James Cathcart March 02, 2025 7 3

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Genesis 2: 7 (NRSVA)

7 then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground,[a] and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being.

From first to last… we are reliant on our breathing for our living and all those breaths — of anger and happiness, frustration and scepticism, wonder and delight — come from God.

Breathing is one of our most vital needs, absolutely essential to life. It powers us through the day and continually broadcasts our emotions knitting us into community with those we breathe alongside. It can be smooth or ragged, deep or shallow, sudden or slow. It is both functional and expressive, a form of nonverbal communication between people telling the outer world about our inner world, and in the process creating shared worlds.

Over this week, as we begin our Lent theme Beginning to Flourish, we are exploring the animating principle of breath for without God’s breath we are simply dust. As we travel through Lent we also anticipate the cross and remember the final incredible breath of Jesus, “It is completed.”

But of course, it wasn’t the final breath was it? Jesus breathed out again, in the garden speaking Mary’s name, at the beach extending an invitation to breakfast, in the upper room breathing out the Holy Spirit on his disciples — communicating the peace of his inner world, won for the whole world.

Prayer:

Lord of All Breath,

be in our breathing today,

through all the varied forms it takes.

From hearty laughter to deep sobs, from the gentle sigh of relief to the deep gulps that get us up a massive hill.

Breath is something we can take for granted until we can’t

remind us of the privilege and humility that comes from being a breathing person. 

And may our breath today express 

the ramshackle hope of living

as your beloved children

breathing alongside each other

Amen.