According to the reading from John’s gospel at church a couple of days ago, one of the first things Jesus did when he appeared post-resurrection to the disciples (minus Thomas) was to breathe on them and say “receive the Holy Spirit.” Christians traditionally have imagined the Holy Spirit as a dove because the accounts of Jesus’ baptism in all four Gospels include a dove descending. We have mourning doves in my neighborhood—I hear them cooing at me frequently, as they... Read more