This coming Sunday is Pentecost Sunday. “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 20:22-23)

The Catholic Church sees this moment — right after Jesus’ resurrection — as Jesus giving his apostles a special authority to continue a part of the ministry of Jesus: the power to forgive sins. Here’s the key idea:

• Jesus breathed on them — a strong symbol of giving divine life or divine mission (similar to how God breathed life into Adam in Genesis).
• “Receive the Holy Spirit” — connects this mission to the Holy Spirit, showing it’s not just human authority, but God working through them.
• “Forgive” or “retain” sins — the apostles are commissioned to continue Jesus’ work of reconciliation, meaning they must somehow hear confessions to know whether to forgive or retain.