On this first Friday of Lent, here’s a thought to consider: are we opening our hearts and lives to touch the wounds of Christ? What wounds His heart?
“‘Thomas, put your finger in My hands. Put it in My side. Now, believe.’ (John 20:27) I don’t think you can begin to believe until you put your finger in your own wounds, the wounds of one another, and the wounds of Christ.”
Richard Rohr, OFM, from Breathing Under Water
Thomas always gets a bad rap because he doubted Christ, but when Jesus asked him to touch His wounds – Thomas reached out and touched them. That took a bit of faith. Just like it takes faith for us to offer our wounded hearts & lives to Jesus, to let His love touch the hurting bits with healing balm so we may have courage to reach out and touch the wounds of others.
Hey, we’re all wounded works of divine art in process. But, by sharing a compassionate touch (even when we don’t have it all together) we can change pain’s stark paint into a lighter shade with love.
When we touch the wounds of others with love, we’re touching the wounds of Christ.
grace, peace & compassionate courage
Virginia : )
p.s. Here’s a song I stumbled upon whilst setting up new computer links to “Roses in the Rubble” – the name of this blog, but also the name of British folk singer David Jay Moore’s new compilation. Have a listen (via this YouTube video – email readers, you know the drill!)
Roses in the Rubble 
Quick thought re “doubting Thomas” — easy for us to forget he had already vividly proven his true colors in John 11:16 so perhaps, following the immense discouragement of the crucifixion, his “doubting question” was more one of “this is unbelievable, but oh how I hope it is true”.
Thanks, Mark, for your insights. I’m so glad the apostles had their struggles – it gives this cracked clay pot hope! 💜😜🎊😜💜
Valentine’s Day birthed a lot of doubt, Virginia.
“God needs better angels up there.”
That was the best excuse I read, and that’s some sad reasoning.
Who are we to doubt? William Blake’s quote comes to mind suddenly:
“God comes down with the hammer, and Jesus comes along with the band-aid.”
It’s hard, Uncle Tree, understanding all this on this side of Heaven. With free will, there’s also evil run rampant in our world that needs Light to stand against it, finding ways to make violence stop! May the band-aids of Jesus comfort hurting hearts with healing love, comfort & grace. 💜🙏💜🌟💜🙏💜
What an inspiring post Virginia.
Thanks, Arlene. The example of St. Thomas comforts & challenges me – that he doubted (sometimes easy for us to do, too) but he then reached out & touched Christ. Lenten blessings! 🌟🙏🤗🙏🌟
Great question to ponder, Ginny!
You have a wonderful collection of crosses, but I never noticed how great this one was until looking at its picture in this blog. ❤️
Cin, this is the San Damiano cross that had a big role in the transformation of St. Francis of Assisi from a wealthy merchant’s son to a troubadour for Christ. I saw the real one in Assisi – & brought a small replica of it back home. ✨🌟🌷🌟✨
You know, that’s a great question.
Love and kindness: these are ways to touch and heal the wounds of others. In doing so, we may also heal our own wounds.
Give and ye shall receive. When we give love; we receive love.
We can also offer up the healing of our woundedness to become healing for others, by God’s grace. Kindness – I did a whole blog on that awhile back! – our wounded world needs more of that! ✨🤗🌟🤗✨