Jesus’ crucifixion wounds were more than just evidence that He had risen from the dead in the same body that the Romans had crucified two days earlier. Of course, this was very important as evinced by the Gospel accounts of Jesus appearing to His disciples. Jesus certainly wanted them to see that He resurrected in the same body and that this was proof of our future resurrections in our same bodies. However, I believe Jesus was showing them and us something deeper. Let’s begin with the Johannine account and then turn to the Book of Revelation.
Jesus’ Wounds in Scripture
John 20:25-28 reports:
So, the other disciples told [Thomas], “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe.” Eight days later, his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them, and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing.”
John’s description clearly reveals that Jesus’ glorified body retained His crucifixion wounds. Additionally, the Book of Revelation 5:1-4 describes a vision of one in Heaven who was the only one worthy to open a particular scroll. Then, verses 5-6 add:
Then, one of the elders said to me, “Weep not; lo, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders, I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.
So, Jesus not only retained His wounds during the time He appeared on earth before His ascension into Heaven. He also continued to retain them in Heaven. Why would Jesus do this? I believe He kept His wounds as a perpetual offering to the Father of His once-and-for-all sacrifice on Calvary. In other words, by His actions, He continuously says to the Father, Look at my love for them, have mercy on them, and remember that I am always their eternal Passover Lamb.
What His Wounds Say About the Eucharist
Regarding Jesus as our Passover Lamb, St. Paul writes, “Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Paschal Lamb, has been sacrificed” (1 Cor. 5:7). Also, the Gospel of John and the Book of Revelation refer to Jesus as the Lamb of God or simply “the Lamb” in several places, indicating that Jesus is indeed our Passover Lamb.
The language that Paul and John use is supremely important because every Jew, Orthodox Christian, and Catholic knows that the Passover lamb must be consumed as part of the sacrificial meal. It’s an ordinance forever! (See Exodus 12:14, 24.) And the Revelation passage I quoted above reveals that Jesus took this “forever” language literally.
Accordingly, Scripture tells us that we must consume Him. And the Church instructs us through her constant tradition and dogmatic teaching that Jesus gives us the Eucharist so that we can keep this ordinance forever. Just keep in mind that this ordinance will reach its fulfillment in Heaven when we gaze upon the Passover Lamb directly and eternally.
But, in addition to this, what do Jesus’ wounds mean for us?
What Jesus’ Wounds Mean for Us
A moment ago, I described what Jesus’ wounds communicate to the Father. Now, I want to briefly look at what they communicate to us.
By keeping His wounds, Jesus tells us that He identifies with our suffering, and that our suffering increasingly conforms us to Him. Jesus says to us, I became so fully human that I kept my wounds as a reminder to you of my empathy, love, and sacrifice. I want you to imitate me by accepting suffering as love for others and as a sign to others that you are my brothers and sisters.
Telling us this, Jesus helps us to understand His deep love for us and how we can use our wounds to increase our love of God. They also give others an example of how to love through suffering. As we imitate Christ, especially in our sufferings, grace helps us to subdue our disordered desires and bodily inclinations to sin. Our sufferings become paths to greater holiness, discipline, and union with God.
Again, St. Paul writes (Rom. 12:1-2):
I appeal to you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this worldbut be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Suffering with grace accomplishes everything Paul describes here. It gives us ways to offer our bodies as living sacrifices, and, if we use suffering correctly, God will renew our minds so that we may put on the mind of Christ. In doing so, we will prove what the will of God is. Just remember to offer your sufferings to God through Christ as this will form an intentional self-sacrifice to God.
Author’s Note: Please click these links for more on the Eucharist, suffering, concupiscence, and complete sanctification.
Image from Wikimedia Commons
