Jesus is Risen - Suffering, Death, Peace
The cross of Christ is God's way of emptying himself out of his merciful love for people. The cross is an event that is forever inscribed in the new covenant between God and man, because it is founded on it. I remember the impression made on me by the work and the Polish Easter song from the 15th century. In it, the apostles asked the Risen Jesus why there were crucifixion wounds on his deified body. In fact: why a triumphant God needs such a terrible mark, why these scars from such a cruel past?
The Evangelists Luke and John recorded this presence of cross wounds on the body of the Risen Lord who appeared to them. After Jesus' death, the disciples were in a quandary, their faith was shaken. Two of them, being in the way to Emmaus, were surprised by the company of Jesus, who, however, when they recognized him, disappeared from their sight (cf. Lk 24: 13-35). Jesus: "He himself stood among them," relates Saint Luke, "and said:" Peace be with you. " .” But they were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost. Then he said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see, I have. And as he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet". (Lk 24: 36-40) - Saint John describes the meeting in a similar way:" Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord."(John 20: 19-20)
So, it is clear that Christ wants us to see these wounds, even more - he wants us to touch it, revealing the trace of his cross to us, and at the same time proclaiming the message of peace that he brings. Why should signs of violence need to confirm the Good News?
After all, it is similar with us today, when we come before the image of Merciful Jesus, Jesus, I trust in You, painted in accordance with the vision of Saint Faustina. My attention always stops at the wounds of Jesus, although they are not exposed at all. Especially on the wounds which Christ wears on his feet. As many times as I see this image, and every time I am left with the poignant awareness that Jesus wants forever the wounds of the cross on him. Why do you need, Jesus, these unhealed wounds?
Piece of death
For centuries, the meaning of Christ's gesture has been debated: the unveiling of wounds and the greeting of peace at the same time. In this way, does Jesus want to testify of the realism of the Passion of the Cross through which he went alone? Maybe he wants to convey the truth about the resurrection of man in the same body in which he lived in mortality and was martyred? Or maybe - this is how Christ answers in the cited medieval song – does He testifies in this way that he kept his wounds for “Judgment”? By adopting this interpretation, the artists created images of the final scenes, for example on the carved portals of churches or on frescoes, in which Jesus who comes to the Last Judgment shows his pierced hands to the gathered humanity. Not some book. Not a record of our crimes. Not paragraphs. Not even the 10 CommandmentsTablets. Only His wounds
If you think about this situation, it makes you shudder. Where is God's mercy? After all, it will be unbearable, without exaggeration - I do not hammered the nails to His Hand. I have read the decalogue and I want to be asked about it.But it is the medieval religious sensitivity that brings us closer to the mystery of mercy: Jesus shows the wounds as a sign of a broken covenant, a disappointed love, a betrayal committed against a loved one. Our faith is not faith in commandments, but faith in a Person.Sin is the wound we inflict on that person.Breaking the law is one thing, breaking the heart is another.
Until we do not stand before the risen Christ, who revealing his wounds to us, will says: "Peace be with you", until we will not answer like Saint Thomas: "My Lord and my God" (John: 20,28) and like Saint Faustina: “Jesus, I trust in You”- until that moment we will not understand what sin, forgiveness and mercy are in Christianity. However, we are running away from this meeting because it is too hard to stand it. Sin is not breaking the law but strike a deadly blow to someone I love and who is ready to give up even his own life in the name of love for me ... Breaking a paragraph is nothing, failing the greatest love is everything.
Sin is a piece of death. Death given to God.Self-inflicted death. To murder Christ is a man's suicide. It is enough if you look at yourself with even a little honesty to see how many great values, how many pure intentions, how many beautiful dreams have died in you because of sin! It is all these buried hopes that we see when He comes in and shows us His wounds.
Paper, pen and ink
The most moving, however, is the interpretation of this gesture of the Risen Christ, proposed by Saint Anthony of Padua.Medieval Doctor of the Church in one of his homilies associates the scene of Jesus' meeting with his disciples with the text of the prophet Isaiah: ” But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me.”Can a mother forget her infant, be without tenderness for the child of her womb? Even should she forget, I will never forget you. See, upon the palms of my hands I have engraved you in my hands “(cf. Is 49: 14-16)
"I engraved you in my hands"! In the translation of Anthony and in most translations, a milder verb is used: "I wrote you on my hands". Based on this, Anthony of Padua points out that in order to write down, we need a paper, ink and a pen. In order not to forget about man, God writes the name of each of us on his hands. Jesus' hands are the cards. His blood is ink. With a pen - nails.
God cannot forget us. Even if he wanted to… He carved each of us on his hands. In order not to forget. The name of each of us burns His hands. Continually for our blessing, that is - literally translating from the Greek language - for good luck. The Risen Christ reveals to us not the nature and logic of the Judgment, but God's Mercy. As if he was saying to us: see, you killed me, but now I come to you with a message because I want you to come back to life with me ...
My dear Readers, this is the whole meaning of God's Mercy.
Until Tomorrow
fr. george
Novena to the Divine Mercy - Seventh Day:
Today bring to Me THE SOULS WHO ESPECIALLY VENERATE AND GLORIFY MY MERCY, and immerse them in My mercy. These souls sorrowed most over my Passion and entered most deeply into My spirit. They are living images of My Compassionate Heart. These souls will shine with a special brightness in the next life. Not one of them will go into the fire of hell. I shall particularly defend each one of them at the hour of death.
Most Merciful Jesus, whose Heart is Love Itself, receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls of those who particularly extol and venerate the greatness of Your mercy. These souls are mighty with the very power of God Himself. In the midst of all afflictions and adversities they go forward, confident of Your mercy; and united to You, O Jesus, they carry all mankind on their shoulders. These souls will not be judged severely, but Your mercy will embrace them as they depart from this life.
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls who glorify and venerate Your greatest attribute, that of Your fathomless mercy, and who are enclosed in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. These souls are a living Gospel; their hands are full of deeds of mercy, and their hearts, overflowing with joy, sing a canticle of mercy to You, O Most High! I beg You O God:
Show them Your mercy according to the hope and trust they have placed in You. Let there be accomplished in them the promise of Jesus, who said to them that during their life, but especially at the hour of death, the souls who will venerate this fathomless mercy of His, He, Himself, will defend as His glory. Amen.
Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet