John 20:19-31 (NRSV)
Read John 20:19-31 on biblegateway.com
Verse 19When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Verse 20After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Verse 21Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." Verse 22When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. Verse 23If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." Verse 24But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. Verse 25So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe."
Verse 26A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Verse 27Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe." Verse 28Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" Verse 29Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe." Verse 30Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. Verse 31But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.
Devotion
Here we see Jesus offer Thomas his wounds to touch and see. It should not be lost on us that Jesus was resurrected with his crucifixion marks. His death was not an accident, nor was it something shameful God wishes we would forget. Rather, Jesus' death is part of who he is and part of our story of healing.
Julian of Norwich, around 1350 AD, experienced sixteen visions. Among the first were visions of Jesus on the cross and his extreme suffering. But later, she saw the Risen Christ filled with such joy and love that she was overwhelmed with peace. Through her conversations with Jesus she was assured that "all will be well."
Healing and transformation always comes from some kind of death. Something fundamental has to give way for us to incorporate a new kind of thing. Jesus' death and resurrection is still a mystery, but we know that to God it is key. Jesus offers to us his wounds to ponder and move toward belief...and then peace.
Prayer
Dear God: help me to know that my marks of suffering can birth a new life within me as well. Breathe on me to heal my soul so that I may offer my sacred wounds to others as a gift of love. Amen.