Marks
of Wounds and Glory
Fr.
George Smiga
April
22/23, 2006
John
20:19 - 31
There
is not a verse of the scriptures that is wasted. Christians
have always followed the example of the Jewish rabbis in believing
that there is no verse of the scripture that is accidental.
Every verse, every word, has significance for our lives. This
is certainly true of today's gospel. Jesus appears in his
risen body to the disciples. Yet that body bears the marks
of his passion, the nail prints in his hands, the gash in
his side. Now the presence of those marks might at first seem
to be simply the disciples describing what they saw. But the
scriptures pay great attention to the marks. They even have
Thomas touch them. From this we can be assured that their
presence is much more then accurate description. They are
meant to carry a message, a truth for our lives. The truth
is this: there is power and life in woundedness.
In
his risen body Jesus bears the marks of his passion. He does
not hide them. He wants it to be clear to us that when we
admit our sins, our mistakes, our failures, and our brokenness,
when we can own these wounds in light of Christ's resurrection,
they can lead to life. Look how contrary this truth is to
the normal way we approach our limitations. We all want to
put our best foot forward. We want to promote our success
and downplay our failures. We deny the mistakes that we made,
the faults, the wounds that we bear. But in doing this we
move away from the truth of who we are, and whenever we act
in a way that is contrary to what is real, it diminishes us
rather then strengthens us.
Now
Jesus is certainly not telling us that we should place our
wounds on display, that we should flaunt our mistakes and
failures. We all know people who have unfortunately built
their identity around their weaknesses. We have met people
who have told us way too much about their mistakes. But it
can be healthy, in the right context and at the right time,
to uncover our wounds and even to let others touch them. When
we have lost someone through death, divorce, or rejection,
we try to be strong. But we must also mourn. To shed tears
is the first step towards healing. When we are afraid of something
in our family, in our world, about our health, admitting that
fear and letting someone we trust touch it does not harm us.
Instead it prepares us for what lies ahead. When we have given
in to our own selfishness when we have hurt someone through
a word or a deed, it is not an embarrassment to say I was
wrong, I am sorry to our spouse, our children, our parent,
our friend. It is a statement of truth that can open a new
beginning. There is power in our wounds, a power that comes
from the truth.
Occasionally
someone has asked me as a priest when I hear confessions,
do I ever end up thinking less of a person who has come in
to confess a serious sin. I can honestly tell you that in
over 30 years of priestly ministry that has never occurred.
There is something powerful and holy about the honest admission
of a fault in God's presence. Contrary to making me think
less of a person, it actually makes their dignity and their
goodness easier to see. I always walk away from such encounters
humbled and aware of God's presence.
The
risen Christ comes before us today bearing the marks of his
passion. Jesus does not hide his wounds and neither need we.
Admitting our imperfections, fears, doubts, and mistakes does
not defeat us. It releases power for healing and for life.
We do not need to deny the marks of our wounds. For we believe
that God will change us as God changed Jesus, that the marks
of our wounds will become the marks of our glory.
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