To prepare for Easter, I have been reading from Jean Vanier’s “Drawn into the Mystery of Jesus through the Gospel of John.” I felt the following passage was worth sharing:
These wounds become his glory
From the wound in his side flowed the waters that vivify
and heal us.
Through his wounds we are healed.
Jesus invites each one of us, though Thomas,
to touch not only his wounds,
but those wounds in others and in ourselves,
wounds that can make us hate others and ourselves
and can be a sign of separation and division.
These wounds will be transformed into a sign of forgiveness
through the love of Jesus
and will bring people together in love.
These wounds reveal that we need each other.
These wounds become the place of mutual compassion,
of indwelling
and of thanksgiving.
We, too, will show our wounds
when we are with him in the kingdom,
revealing our brokenness
and the healing power of Jesus.
I love it. Thanks for sharing that, B-ton. I love that it’s only by showing our ugliness and being willing to touch others’ “ugliness” that we are able to experience true love and freedom.
Thank you so very much. It is exactly sums up what I needed to convey to a congregation on Sunday!