Wounds that heal - a thought from Thursday night

Our theme was Healing in the Precious Blood of Jesus.  Fr. Angelo mentioned reference after reference describing the understanding of blood in ancient cultures and its significance in ancient ritual.  Then he talked about Jesus' healing ministry, those who were made whole through his compassion and care.  He talked about how much of Jesus' healing was rooted in correcting one form of blindness or another (which I found a particularly fascinating tie-in with Fr. Bramlage's healing ministry, which is so deeply rooted in the damaging effects of unforgiveness in our lives).  I wish I'd had a notebook to capture more of what he shared. He moved on to discuss the redemptive and healing nature of Jesus' sacrifice, and introduced two words together that just struck me: Healing Wounds.  I immediately knew I'd want to reflect and expand on his comments about this idea.

The natural effect of wounds we receive is to tear apart, to destroy, so most wounds are therefore destructive by nature.  While our bodies are equipped to heal in remarkable ways, the wounds themselves are a cause of damage.  This is true of emotional wounds that we receive, as well. Interestingly, the more compromised we are physically or emotionally, the less able we are to heal.

And yet the way we respond to harm we receive - indeed, our willingness to embrace them rather than resist them, in some cases - can cause the resulting wounds to be healing instead of destructive.  As we assume an attitude of grace and forgiveness instead of clinging to the hurt we receive, our wounds' harmful effects in us are diminished, and their redemptive, healing effects are magnified in our own lives as well as the lives of those around us.

For instance, when I focus on how unfair a situation in my relationship with my wife may be, our marriage is undermined and wounded.  But if I instead view that exact same situation as an opportunity to love my wife, it becomes a cause of growth for us.  This is true for each situation in which we decide to respond with an attitude of grace rather than focusing on ourselves.

Jesus' wounds remain visible in his resurrected body because they have lost the power to hurt him while taking on the power to heal us.  His wounds were healing for Thomas, who had declared that he could not believe Jesus was risen without their evidence, and they are healing for us.  This becomes true for the wounds we receive, as well, when we offer forgiveness and mercy rather than retribution in response to them.  Our woundedness can be a source of healing, and inspiration for others who need to experience healing as we have.