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If we believe in God, we have to believe that God is more powerful than we.
-Rev. John Phalen
On Touching the Wounds of the Risen Christ
Rev. John Phalen, CSC, PresidentHoly Cross Family Ministries
Thomas had to touch the wounds of Christ in order to believe that the Lord had risen from the dead. And the risen Lord was very willing to have him do just that. He said to Thomas: “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.” (Jn 20:27)
This scene makes me think of the doctors telling the seminarian, Patrick Peyton CSC, “We’ve done all we can do. You’d better try prayer,” implying that prayer was “all that was left,” and that medical science was the best place to seek healing. Pat Peyton, later to become the Rosary priest and the Servant of God, was healed through prayer for Mary’s intercession.
We may have difficulty believing in the resurrection this Easter Season. The Iraq war continues, the Middle East is still in turmoil, those who have been ill are still suffering, though we are praying for their healing. We may have relational problems with certain people which continue, though the Lord has risen from the dead.
But maybe touching the wounds of the risen Christ is exactly the way for us to grow in faith, just as it led Thomas to exclaim, “My Lord and my God!” (Jn 20:28)
Just as there is no resurrection apart from the passion and death of Jesus, we are encouraged to bring our own struggles and personal sufferings to prayer. Acknowledging them is a way of touching the wounds of Jesus, who identified with us sinners even without sinning himself. We are invited in our prayer to bring up the unresolved issues of our lives; to pray for that elusive peace in the world, for healing for those who suffer even when there are no signs of recovery yet, for a resolution to our problems in relating to others. The risen Lord has the power to bring us peace. “Peace” is the message he always brings us. It is a sure sign that the resurrected Christ is with us. The resurrection is a pivotal Mystery of the Rosary, and mystery of our faith.
Our inclination is, perhaps, to think that only ‘holy’ things are worthy of being brought to prayer. We suspect that the ‘messiness’ of our lives does not belong there. The opposite is true. We need to speak clearly to God about all our sufferings and temptations and the obstacles we experience to living a positive Gospel-based life. We need to touch the wounds of Christ as we experience them and prayer is the way to do it.
O Risen Christ, you know we wish to live by the first light of the resurrection. Help us to touch your wounds and thus be encouraged to believe more boldly. Lord, help our unbelief; help our lack of prayerfulness this glorious Easter Season.