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.