Dear friends. The Scriptures are not embarrassed to talk about wounds - both human wounds and divine wounds. In the Gospel this weekend, we have St Luke's account of the risen Lord appearing to his friends and inviting them to see and touch his wounds. Below are some quotes that talk about wounds and that might be helpful for parish newsletters.
‘How will you then be able to set the hearts of others on fire by your words and witness? If, gazing on the face of Christ, you feel unable to let yourself be healed and transformed, then enter into the Lord’s heart, into his wounds, for that is the abode of divine mercy’
St Bernard of Clairvaux, Sermon of the Song of Songs, 61.
'So let me ask you: Are there moments when you place yourself quietly in the Lord’s presence, when you calmly spend time with him, when you bask in his gaze? Do you let his fire inflame your heart? Unless you let him warm you more and more with his love and tenderness, you will not catch fire. How will you then be able to set the hearts of others on fire by your words and witness? If, gazing on the face of Christ, you feel unable to let yourself be healed and transformed, then enter into the Lord’s heart, into his wounds, for that is the abode of divine mercy'.
St Bernard of Clairvaux, Sermon on the Song of Songs
‘Whereas the wound effected by the cautery of love is incurable through medicine; for the very cautery that causes it, cures it and by curing it, causes it. As often as the cautery of love touches the wound of love, it causes a deep wound of love and thus the more it wounds, the more it cures and heals’. The more wounded the lover, the healthier he is’.
St John of the Cross
‘Through the visible wounds we see the wounds of invisible love’.
St Bonaventure, The mind’s journey to God, 3, 5.
‘The doors of mercy are the wounds of the Lord; if you do not enter into your ministry through the lord’s wounds, you will not be good shepherds’.
Pope Francis, 11th May 2014. Homily at Priestly Ordinations.
'Perhaps you are ashamed because of the greatness of the passion which you inflicted on me. Do not be afraid. This cross is not mine; it is the sting of death. These nails do not pierce me with pain; they pierce me more deeply with love of you. These wounds do not draw groans from me; rather they draw you into my heart. The stretching-out of my body makes room for you in my heart; it does not increase my pain. My blood is not lost to me; it is paid in advance for your ransom.’
St Peter Chrysologus, Office of Readings, Tuesday, Easter week 4
'The Bible is not embarrassed to speak much about woundedness – God’s and ours. All of us are wounded, somehow, someway. We are part of a wounded humanity that needs healing. There are many things in our egos and prevailing culture that distract us from admitting this. It’s not something we talk about at parties. It takes courage to admit it. Yet when we are in touch with our scars, we become humble and more compassionate to the wounded humanity we are part of. When we do return to our wounds, something powerful happens for God’s love is waiting to meet us there. Like Thomas, Paul and the other wounded disciples, Christ comes to meet us as the Good Samaritan who applies healing to our injuries in a way that gives birth to new faith. When we return to our wounds, we show the Lord our scars and he shows us his. And in his wounds, we meet a God who enters into our pain to heal our vulnerability. As St Peter testifies: ‘By his wounds we have been healed’ (1 Pet. 2:24).
Fr Billy Swan