Take a deep breath.  Do you think that the breath you just took shared any air with the last breath of Christ?  I think it’s an interesting question, and the answer may surprise you.  Right now, I’m deeply tempted.  I’m tempted to show you the calculations needed to answer the question.  In forty-two years of teaching math I did learn one thing: not everyone enjoys math as much as I do.  I’ve done this well-known, exciting (to me), calculation in class, and I still had a student ask, “Will this be on the test?”  Hence, I will resist temptation; I will discuss some of the things needed to make the calculations, and then I will give you the answer.

            There are two questions that might occur to you: (1) Is any of Christ’s last breath still around? And (2) If so, has any of it made it to Florida?  To answer them we need to know some facts about air.  Air is 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, a little less than 1% argon, and a host of other gases.  Argon is basically inert and nitrogen in the atmosphere is almost inert; molecules of these from the time of Christ are almost all still there.  Oxygen is chemically active and a molecule from the time of Christ has probably left and re-entered the atmosphere a number of times.  Gas molecules are very active, constantly colliding with each other; at room temperature the average speed of a gas molecule is around 1,000 miles per hour.  That is why they disperse so quickly.  I’m always amazed when I go out in the morning for the paper and smell smoke, even though there was no fire anywhere near.  Global movement is rapid also; it takes about two weeks, for example, for ash from a volcano to circle the earth.  The upshot is that, yes, Christ’s last breath is still around and has made it to Florida.  This shows that our original question makes sense.

            Here is the answer.  The probability is 98% that your deep breath shares a molecule with Christ’s last breath, and typically the two breaths will have one or two molecules in common.  Over the course of your life you will share billions and billions and billions of molecules with Christ.  Even though this is the result of an arcane calculation involving the huge, but finite, number of air molecules, it helps me feel a closer connection to Christ.

            My feelings are dampened a bit by the fact that we also likely share breaths with evil despots such as Herod or Nero.  Only a bit, though, for our true connection to God is not a physical one.  God has extended to us mercy and grace through the death and resurrection of his son Jesus.  On our part we give God our thanksgiving, acceptance and faith.  We also give God our love, returning his unconditional love for us.

Jim