Hope-Filled Scars

I always wonder around this time why Jesus chose to resurrect with the wounds and scars still on his body.  As I look at his wounds and scars, I am reminded of the wounds and scars of the people who have told me that they cut themselves.  Cutting is their way of coping and attempt to control the things that are going in their lives.  I have been told that what hurts more is the aftermath when they have to face their own scars.  They carry those scars with the negative emotional feelings that run with it, from anger to shame to failure.      

I think our wounds and scars, physically and emotionally, are what identify us to the people who are most intimate to us.  When we become personally close to someone, we become personally close to their wounds.  Nonetheless, this is how Thomas came to recognize Jesus and absolved his doubts. By Jesus’ wounds, we have been healed (1 Peter 2:24) and by his scars, we find hope.  The scars of Jesus show his suffering.  We can’t remove the scars just like we can’t remove the cross from the resurrection.  Our wounds will eventually heal, but the scars and memories remain.  It is a reminder to us that we are broken people who have a God that is willing to be broken to reach out to us.  Similar to Thomas, we yearn to unite our wounds with the wounds of Jesus.  We yearn to be able to embrace our scars and fill it with hope.  Good Friday is a day of hope because it tells us the story did not end here.  May we be reminded that we are a people of Easter and may we bring that sign of hope to one another.   

 

 

"The Two Shall Become One....."

God is love.

If you disagree with that statement, then I suggest you to stop reading because the rest will be meaningless to you. 

As a human being, we all have the desire to love and be loved.  We yearn to live a life that is fulfilling, loving, and relational with other people.  That’s why the issue of gay marriage is very sensitive.  It becomes personally sensitive when we know someone who is homosexual, especially our loved ones.  Therefore, we have to approach the issue with sincerity and compassion, and try to have a mutual understanding between both sides.  Because I am a Christian and heterosexual male, I approach the issue with that baggage. 

I believe in the traditional definition of marriage which is the union of one man and one woman to each other.  This does not mean I hate gay people, it does not mean I do not support rights for gay people, and it definitely does not mean I am less loving and accepting of gay people (some of the people in my life are gay).  It simply means I see marriage differently than some people.  When we alter the definition of marriage, I’m afraid that there won’t be a clear boundary on where to draw the line.  Although it may seem nonsense, but the possibility of broadening marriage between more than two people comes into play.  As well as marrying relatives, underage marriages, or animals have to be considered.  It may sound absurd to use marrying animals as an example, but what is more absurd to me is that some animals in the U.S. have more legal protection and rights than human fetuses in the womb.   

Marriage, I believe, is a gift that God gives to us to reveal the union of Christ and the Church.  Like all gifts, it is intended for us to share with one another to bring greater glory to God.  This extends marriage beyond the two people that are involved when taking vows.  It involves most importantly the children who are the fruits of the relationship.  The problem with same-sex couples is that they cannot naturally conceive a child.  Therefore, they cannot provide both a mother and a father.  We do not know enough of how or if a child is affected in a household with homosexual parents, but there are various studies that suggest the negative effects of children raised in cohabiting relationships or divorced parents.

I realized that the Church’s teaching of celibacy for homosexuals can be emotionally challenging to do.  But we do live in an age that encourages the indulgence of our every urge and inclinations.  Satisfying every inclination that we have does not automatically equal happiness.  Of course, some of our urges are unhealthy, such as drug and alcohol abuse, sexual abuse, greed, etc. and ought to be resisted.  With that said, celibacy is not easy, it is a gift.  Ask any priests or religious and you will know that it is a constant struggle.  Sometimes we don’t get to choose our struggles, but we are able to control how we handle them.

As I said in the beginning, God is love.  Love is not easy, it is rather complicated.  But the essence of love entitles every person with respect, dignity and integrity.  But that does not mean I lose respect or love for my homosexual brothers and sisters with my beliefs and values of traditional marriage.  To quote Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, “There is no other subject on which the average mind is so much confused as the subject of tolerance and intolerance…  Tolerance applies only to persons, but never to principles.  Intolerance applies only to principles, but never to persons.”