Easter Thursday (2025)

In this morning’s Gospel, Jesus comes to the Apostles and shows them His hands and His side — the wounds of His Passion.

He does not hide them.

He does not cover them up.

But why?

If He is truly risen, why not erase the scars?

Why not rise in a body perfect, untouched, unmarked by pain?

No.

He shows them openly.

These wounds are His signature: “It is truly Me.”

The same Jesus of Nazareth — the one they followed, the one they abandoned, the one they saw crucified.

He stands before them, alive.

But the marks remain.

Why?

Because this touches the very heart of our Christian faith — the Paschal Mystery.

Jesus’ wounds are not signs of defeat.

They are signs of love.

They are not erased because God’s love does not erase.

It transforms.

And that is exactly what we proclaim every time we celebrate the Eucharist.

Even in our most joyful liturgy, the words of consecration remain the same:

“This is My Body, given up for you.”

Words spoken the night before He was handed over.

Every Eucharist leads us back to the Paschal Mystery — the journey from death to life.

And that journey is rooted in vulnerability.

The Resurrection of Jesus does not erase the wounds of Good Friday.

It redeems them.

This is the paradox of our faith:

It is through the Cross that Jesus brings life.

Through His vulnerability, He reveals His strength.

And in our own vulnerability, we are invited into the same mystery of redemption.

Since childhood, I suffered terribly from acne.

The scars stayed with me.

I saw many doctors, tried expensive medications, and at times, fell into depression, isolation, and deep insecurity.

What helped me the most was a simple thing:

seeing my uncle, who also had acne scars. That gave me strength.

When my grandmother was still alive she offered to pay for surgery to remove the scars. I declined.

Because I began to see: even these scars can become a sign of hope, for those who are struggle.

Your vulnerability carries great power — if you allow it to be transformed by the Holy Spirit, the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead.