"
We find from St. John's Gospel that Thomas, one of the twelve, was not
among them when Jesus came, so the rest of the disciples told him, "We
have seen the Lord." He replied, "Unless I see in His hands the wound made
by the nails, and put my finger into the wound, and put my hand into His
side, I will never believe it." So when a week later Jesus says to Thomas,
"Reach hither thy finger and behold (or feel) My hands, and reach hither
thy hand and thrust it into My side," [Footnote: St. John xx. 27.] it
shows how our Lord made these scars the very test of his faith, and it is
the same now.
In St. Luke's Gospel we read that He said, "Behold My hands and My feet."
When He showed them the marks of His sufferings for them, it was as if He
said, "Here is the guarantee of your pardon and peace." We cannot have
peace until we have pardon; many seek peace instead of taking pardon
first. When He showed them His hands, and His feet, and His side, it was
as if He said, "You need cleansing from all sin; here are the marks of the
cleansing Blood. You need the touch of healing power, and here is the Hand
that will give it to you. You want companionship in your daily life.
Here are the feet that will travel with you, you never walk alone." What
wonderful tenderness and love! If ever you feel depressed or ready to
doubt God's love, remember how "He showed them His hands and His side,"
that they might see those sacred scars.
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