Second Sunday of Easter

Sacred Wounds We Recognize

HE SHOWED THEM HIS HANDS AND HIS SIDE

Lord of hope, fill our hearts with your grace, enabling us to see the beauty in every wound and the gift of every scar. Open our eyes to recognize our woundedness as symbols of resilience, connection, and hope. May we recognize the peace that comes from your healing presence.

Share an example of how your woundedness has made you more compassionate toward others.

Filipinos thanking U.S. Navy for typhoon aid

The situation in the world today can make us question God’s love amid suffering. Catholic Relief Services (CRS) has a long history of addressing this woundedness and providing hope through global relief efforts. Partnering with USAID, CRS has helped millions facing health crises, poverty, and displacement, fighting against malaria, AIDS, and famine. However, the administration’s decision to drastically reduce foreign aid has led to substantial financial shortfalls for CRS. The abrupt cessation of USAID funding has forced CRS to begin laying off staff and terminating projects worldwide, affecting millions who rely on their services. The impact of these cuts extends beyond CRS. For instance, in Kenya, where Maryknoll has also worked to address the suffering caused by HIV/AIDS, a freeze on U.S. aid has stranded antiretroviral (ARV) medications in warehouses, leaving HIV patients without essential treatments. This situation underscores the broader consequences of the funding reductions on global health initiatives. As people in developing countries face increased sickness and death without the support of countries like the U.S. and organizations like CRS, their faith in humanity is shattered, and they are left to wonder, “Where is God in all of this?”

(USAID Closure May Be Deadly, Says Former Catholic Relief Services Head, Maryknoll Magazine, Feb 10, 2025)

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”

Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nail marks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” Then 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.” Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name.

John20:19-31

We often think of peace as serene stillness, an escape from reality. Yet when Jesus appears to his disciples, he is marked by the scars of his suffering. Peace is not merely the absence of violence; it is a presence—a wholeness of being in harmony, shalom. It was through those very wounds that his disciples recognized him. Jesus’ resurrection did not erase the pain of the cross but carried it into new life, showing that suffering is not the end of the story.

Wounds do not preclude us from peace; rather, they can be a source of connection, recognition, and even healing. As missionary disciples, we bear our own scars, but like Jesus, they do not define us as broken. Instead, they reveal our journey and resilience—they can even become our superpowers. In a world that often seeks to hide pain, Jesus invites us to see that scars can be symbols of the sacred alchemy that transforms suffering into peace. The Spirit breathes peace into us, sending us forth—wounded but whole—as missionaries of peace.

How does the peace of the resurrection empower you to use your woundedness to be a healer in your community or family?

Catholic Social Teaching emphasizes the moral responsibility of developed nations to support and assist those in developing countries. As the U.S. Government cuts foreign aid, consider what our personal responsibility is as U.S. Catholics in responding to the woundedness of the world. Consider a donation to Maryknoll to support projects that have been impacted by cuts. Visit the Maryknoll Office of Global Concern to learn how to use your voice to advocate for just foreign aid policies.

Loving God, you are the source of all peace. Help us see that our wounds do not separate us from you but draw us deeper into your love. May they become bridges—ways to connect, heal, and bear witness to your grace. Open our hearts to the suffering of our global family and give us the courage to respond with love. Where injustice lingers, make us advocates of dignity. Where hope wavers, make us into beacons of your peace. With your Spirit upon us, we step forward—wounded but whole, bearing your love into the world. Amen.