Embracing Our Wounds

~ “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Luke 15

Sin…. It’s a hard word for some of us these days. It is for me. It forces me to look at parts of myself I don’t want to acknowledge. It brings pain, irritation, and judgment. I’m immersed in a defensive culture, ready to defend – with evidence – why I do what I do. I don’t want responsibility. I think I’m right. Maybe …. I don’t know who I am.

Have you ever seen the Caravaggio painting entitled, “The Incredulity of St. Thomas” ?! If you haven’t …. Check it out. Maybe it’s a good time for Visio Divina with this incredible piece of art. I know the original perspective of this piece comes after Jesus’s death and resurrection. So why should we check it out now? Wounds. That’s why.

In this piece, Jesus, in full disclosure and open vulnerability, pulls back his robes, allowing those with unbelief to probe deeply into his wounds. They want to SEE. They want to KNOW. So do I.

Intellectually I know…
Jesus’ wounds were from the sin of humanity.
The sins I commit, wound others.
The sins of others, wound me.
“The root of sin is in the heart of man.” Mt 15:19-20

How do we reconcile all this – Sin and Wounds? How do we remember the fullness of who we are and who we are made to be?

We know that sin CAUSES wounds, yet sin also grows OUT of wounds. We are wounded people. Often, our sin is a way of trying to escape the suffering caused by these wounds.

Though God has already reconciled us to Himself through his Son, how do we reconcile ourselves with God, with others, and with ourselves this Lent? Maybe our reconciliation and our resurrection begin with our OWN wounds.

We know there are 7 Deadly Sins. In Healing the Whole Person, Dr. Bob Schuchts with the John Paul II Healing Center, names these 7 Deadly Wounds: Abandonment, Shame, Fear, Powerlessness, Rejection, Hopelessness, and Confusion. As we draw close to Holy Week, what if we took some time to identify these wounds within ourselves? And what if we ask Jesus to meet us in the very center of these tender, sacred places within us? Can you imagine the freedom and the glory that awaits us?

Am I a wounded sinner? Yes. And this sinner is counting on the fact that Jesus would welcome and eat with me! I want to hear about His wounds, his passion, his glory, his resurrection, and I want to tell him about mine. I want him to remind me of who I am: that I am a new creation in Him – that the old has passed away. That I always was and always will be – before anything else – His Beloved. So are you.

Throughout the year, we present an article in the bulletin each week on a variety of topics, written by a member of our Parish staff or ministries on a rotating basis.