Wounds That Save

Christ saved us through his wounds.  By his wounds we are healed (Isaiah 53:5).  In the Gospel today the disciples didn’t encounter a ghost.  They encountered a real man with real flesh who rose from the dead.  His body was made new, his crucifixion wounds were healed.

We too have wounds that need healing.  Not all of our wounds are physical, however.  Some are spiritual or emotional, perhaps our deepest ones.  They may come from guilt or resentment, holding on to grudges, not letting go, or being hurt by a loved one.  They may be even self-inflicted.  In any case Christ offers a complete cure – forgiveness.

Forgiveness works miracles as we see in the First Reading where the “crippled man” was cured through the intercession of Peter and John who said, “Repent, therefore, and be converted, so that your sins may be wiped away.” 

When we forgive one another we will be healed.  Our suffering will cease and we will be cured (perhaps even cured of physical illness like cancer or heart disease).  We will be filled with peace and joy – yet easier said than done.  Before forgiving others we must forgive ourselves and before we can forgive ourselves we must accept God’s forgiveness.  To accept God’s forgiveness we must approach Him with humility and die to our pride and ego that tells us we don’t deserve God’s mercy.  We must allow His healing grace to cleanse our souls of sin.  One way to do this is through the Sacrament of Confession.  In this way we receive the graces to forgive others, to drop our resentments, to live a life of peace and joy rather than guilt and shame. 

Please refer to this link by Fr. Mark Padovani S.V.D. for a spiritual and psychological insight into the power of forgiveness:    

God's Forgiveness

Also check out this message from the Holy Father:

Wounds that save