risen wounds

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”  After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.  Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. (John 20:19-22) 

With their doors locked

in fear,

Jesus comes. 

He enters into

their chaos and insecurity, 

and stands among them. 

He offers His peace,

then shows them His wounds. 

Wounds that only days ago

had been a means of death,

but now risen,

have become a source of life. 
 

And as they look

upon the risen wounds,

they are filled with joy. 

The joy of His presence

among them once again. 

The joy of the risen-ness

of His hands and side. 

The joy of the possiblitiy

that their wounds might someday

too be risen.
 

The hope of wholeness. 

The hope that real healing

is possible in Him. 

After all,

why on earth

would the Risen Savior

still bear His wounds,

unless it was meant to tell us something

of His power and His care,

of the mysterious possiblity

that He might transform our wounds

into sources of life for others.
 

And so He sends them out,

on the winds of His breath,

with a mission

to do the same;

to offer their wounds,

now risen,

as a source of life

and healing

and hope

to all in their path.