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A Wounded Christ
When Jesus appeared to the disciples after the Resurrection, he famously showed Thomas his wounds.
Whatever resurrection means, it means carrying with us the wounds of this life. Even Jesus did that. That is maybe why this image of Christ as Lord shows him wearing a Crown of Thorns, and in the Book of Revelation described still as the Lamb of God.
There are at least two reasons -
Wounds in beauty glorified
First, the wounds are transfigured. As the hymn, Crown him with many crowns, puts it:
"Crown him the Lord of love;
behold his hands and side,
rich wounds, yet visible above,
in beauty glorified"
Just as Evil, Black Friday when Christ died has become "Good Friday", God brings beauty out of even the darkest moment by transfiguring it.
God with us: Emmanuel
Secondly, Christ is in solidarity with us. It began at Christmas. In his resurrection Christ did not change his nature. God is the same, yesterday, today and forever. Christ, God therefore, remains the Lord of love.
What God is like
The Ascension of Christ, which we celebrate just before Pentecost, is a revealing to Christ's disciples of who Christ always was and still is. The clouds referred to are a sort of enacted visual aid, familiar to those who watched, from the book of Daniel. They assure us that the God who created the universe is the same God we see in Christ speaking to Thomas: full of mercy and grace.
“As the Father Has Sent Me, I Am Sending You”
On another occasion, Jesus said, "“As the Father Has Sent Me, I Am Sending You”. So we are not exempt the wounds. On the contrary, it is to these that we are called. We share in Christ's mission of sacrifice.
But just as Christ might have said, on the Day of Resurrection, we shall say, "It was worth it". We too shall see the labour of our lives and souls, and be satisfied.
Where is Christ calling you, what wounds are you called to bear? One day you will give thanks to God. For even the dark is not darkness to God.
Love, Martin
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