Qnomodo Dominus apparuit discipulis inclusis
The Lord Appears to Thomas
Jesus appears to the disciples to heal Thomas's unbelief by inviting him to touch His sacred wounds.
On the eighth day of the Resurrection, the Lord Jesus appeared again to his disciples; for because Thomas doubted not out of malice, but out of ignorance, the kind Master did not want to leave such a beloved disciple in unbelief, but deigned to appear again to restore his faith. Eight days later, when the disciples were again inside on the aforementioned Mount Zion, and Thomas was with them, the good Shepherd—who is concerned for his little flock—came while the doors were locked and stood in their midst so that he could be seen by all, and he said to them, "Peace be with you." He stood in the middle and said, "Peace be with you," for there can never be peace in a community unless the leader is in the middle, so that he is not inclined more to one side than the other. A column never supports a building if it is placed to one side near a wall rather than in the middle; all elements, except for the earth, are in motion because they are not in the middle, but the earth is immovable because it is at the center and in the middle. The Lord often announces peace to his disciples, commends it, and urges them to keep it, because... It's impossible to please God without peace; for God dwells in those who love peace and harmony, because his place is made in peace. He brought peace when he came, and when he left, he left peace behind, because the entire perfection of the Christian life and religious discipline consists in peace and love. Therefore, we must seek peace with great diligence and observe it zealously. Hence Gregory Nazianzen says: "Let us therefore be ashamed to abandon the gift of peace that Christ left us when he departed from here." Peace is a sweet thing and a sweet name, which we understand to be of God, according to the saying, 'The peace of God'; and that God is its source, according to the saying, 'The God of peace'; and that he himself is peace, according to the saying, 'He is our peace.' Peace is a good commended by all and observed by few; but what is the cause of this? Perhaps it's the ambition for power, or for wealth, or envy, or hatred, or contempt, or something of this kind, from among those things that we see those who are ignorant of God pursuing. Then, as if responding to Thomas's implied request, Jesus says, "Bring your finger here and see my hands." It isn't that sight is located in the finger, but he's essentially saying, "Touch this and see for yourself." In this context, "to see" is used to mean "to perceive" or "to understand." This way of speaking is so common that it seems to run through all the senses, just as when we say: "Listen and see how beautifully he sings," "Smell and see how sweet it is," "Touch and see how smooth it is," or "Taste and see how sweet it is." This is why it is said in Exodus, "The whole people saw the voices," meaning they heard them. Because of its certainty, "sight" is therefore taken to represent every sense. Thus, according to Augustine, the other four senses are generally accustomed to being called by the name of "sight," and indeed it is sometimes even used for the intellect, as when someone is told, "Do you see this?" meaning "Do you understand?" Or it can be said simply that Jesus is responding to Thomas's words, in which he also declares his divinity, since he knew Thomas's words even while absent in the body. Thomas, wanting to be certain through a double sense—namely, sight and touch—had insisted, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe." Jesus, however, as if responding to him, says, "Bring your finger here," that is, to the place of the nails, "and see my hands, pierced and marked by the nails." Then he adds, "And bring your hand, and put it into my side, pierced by the lance, and recognize that I am the same one who hung on the cross." That wound in the most sacred side was surely great, for in it he had to place not just a finger, but his whole hand. Mystically, the finger signifies discernment, and the hand signifies our work; he is therefore urged to place both finger and hand into the place of the nails and the lance, so that whatever discernment and work we possess, we may spend it in the service of Christ. Then he adds: "Do not be faithless," which means, don’t be slow to believe, but be faithful, which means, be firm in faith; for in the sin of faithlessness you crucify me again, repeating the cause of my Passion. Jesus said this because Thomas had told the disciples, who were announcing the Resurrection of Christ, that he wouldn’t believe otherwise. Just as Thomas doubted more than the others, so he is urged to touch and see more than the others. Where Chrysostom says: "When you see a disciple who does not believe, think of the Lord's mercy, how he shows himself bearing wounds even for the sake of one soul, and approaches to save that one; for he does not appear to him immediately, but after eight days." □. In the midst of the disciples, he is urged to be kindled to a greater longing. And he was more ready in his faith. “Then Thomas touched the Lord’s wounds.” And not only by believing in his heart, but also by what is required for salvation, he cried out and said to him: ‘My Lord and my God.’ That is to say: You are my Lord according to the humanity in which you redeemed and bought me with your blood; and you are my God according to the divinity by which you created me and formed me from the dust. Now I doubt nothing; I am certain, I confirm the Resurrection, I preach the immortality. You are my Lord and my Master, I am your servant, and the child of your handmaid. You are, in short, my God, who created me and took me up; what I have handed over to you, I hold in my faith, I feel it, and I believe it.” O happy Thomas, how happy was that hand of yours! It was a great privilege, indeed, and a great grace to put your hand into that side, that most sweet side, that most healing side—into that side, I say, from which we are saved from anger, from which we are freed from guilt, from which we are reborn in grace, and from which we are lifted up into glory.
The Blessing of Faith
Jesus pronounces a blessing on those who believe without seeing, and the text reflects on the providential nature of Thomas's doubt.
Thomas himself, who is called Didymus, had a heart that doubted in believing, because... Oh? Didymus means 'twin' in Latin, but it is also aptly called an 'abyss' because of the depth of the divine... He penetrated it through faith. Yet the reward he received for his faith is made clear when it is added: Jesus said to him, 'Blessed are you for confessing me, Thomas, because you have seen me.' That is, because you were certain, even through touch, you believed; blessed are those who have not seen, and yet have believed. In this verse, it isn't just Thomas's faith that is predicted. It is as if the Lord were saying: 'You are indeed blessed because you have seen me and believed, but those are also blessed who will believe in me with their minds, even without seeing me in the flesh.' The past tense is used here to express certainty, as if what was to happen in the future had already occurred in divine predestination; for in His presence, future things are as if they were already past. But Thomas saw and touched one thing with his body, and believed another with his heart; for faith, at least in its act, cannot be of things seen and apparent, since it is the evidence of things not seen—for the ancients used to say that 'to argue' meant 'to show'. He touched His humanity and believed in His divinity, which could not be seen at that moment. By saying, 'My Lord.' He was speaking to Him; and by saying, 'My God,' he acknowledged one and the same person as both God and Lord. Hence Theophylact says: 'He who was previously an unbeliever shows himself to be an excellent theologian after this; for he serves the one and same hypostasis of Christ in a twofold way.' Therefore, the Lord comforted us by saying: 'Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.' Hence Rufus. This is truly a great comfort, for it follows: 'Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.' In this statement, we are especially marked out, for though we have not seen Him in the flesh, we follow Him; for He truly said it. He who practices by acting on what he says; this is Gregory. But regarding those who hold the faith in name only, Paul says: 'They profess to know God, but they deny Him by their deeds.' And James says: 'Faith without works is dead.' Chrysostom suggests that someone today might say: 'If only I had been there in those times and had seen Christ working miracles!' Then let him consider: 'Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.' It could be that after the confession where Thomas said, 'My Lord and my God,' the Lord Jesus breathed on them and said, 'Receive the Holy Spirit, whose sins you forgive,' and so on. Although the Evangelist does not state this, because Jesus did many things that are not written in this book, yet He who did not bind His power to the sacraments could, without a sensible sign, give the Holy Spirit and confer upon him the power and the episcopal order. For it must be believed that He ordained him as a bishop just as He did the others. Notice that Christ appeared to Thomas while he was in error; this shows Christ’s great mercy, for He came for the sake of just one person. Chrysostom says: Consider the Lord’s kindness, how He shows Himself bearing His wounds even for the sake of one soul, and draws near to save that one. This was permitted regarding Thomas’s doubt by divine arrangement, so that the Resurrection of the Lord might be proven by more evident arguments; for it was doubted by him so that it would not be doubted by us. Gregory says: It didn't happen by chance, but by the dispensation of divine mercy, that the chosen disciple was absent at that time, so that he might doubt after hearing of the Resurrection, touch while doubting, and believe while touching. Thus, He would drive all doubt from our hearts, and while he touched the wounds of the flesh in his Master, he would heal the wounds of our unbelief. Thomas’s unbelief actually helped our faith more than the belief of the others; because while he was brought back to faith by touching, our own minds are strengthened in faith, with all doubt set aside. It not only confirmed our faith, but also excluded the error of heretics who claimed that Jesus didn't have a true body. Hence Pope Leo also says: It was enough for Thomas to have seen what he saw for his own faith; but for our sake, He acted so that he might touch what he saw. Gregory says again regarding the doubt of Thomas and the other disciples: That the disciples were slow to believe in the Lord’s Resurrection wasn't so much their weakness as it was, if I may say so, our strength. For the Resurrection itself was shown through many arguments while they were doubting; and when we read and recognize this, what else are we doing but being strengthened by their doubt? “Mary Magdalene did less for me, since she believed more quickly than Thomas, who doubted for a long time; for he touched the scars of the wounds and cut away the wound of doubt from our own hearts,” says Gregory.
The Mystery of the Wounds
An exploration of why Christ retained His wounds in His glorified body, serving as signs of redemption, love, and future glory.
By divine arrangement, and not because he lacked the power to heal, the Lord—who destroyed the kingdoms of death—chose not to erase the signs of death; instead, for many reasons, he kept the marks of his Passion, namely the scars of his wounds, even in his incorruptible body. First, he did this to establish and prove the Resurrection, and to reform and strengthen the disciples' faith, which had been doubtful regarding his rising, so that they might believe that the very one who was crucified rose again in the same body; for by showing his wounds, he made it clear that the same person who hung on the cross had risen. Hence Luke says: 'Look at my hands and my feet, for it is I myself.' Second, he did this to commend his love for us, so that by showing the signs of his death, he might reveal how mercifully we have been helped. He did this to provoke us all the more to return his love; hence in the Apocalypse: 'He who loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood.' Third, he did this to show our redemption, because those wounds were the sign of our salvation; hence Isaiah says: 'He was wounded for our iniquities.' Therefore, let those who have been redeemed never cease to sing of the Lord's mercies. Let them say to the Lord: 'For he is good, for his mercy endures forever.' Fourth, he did this for our edification and instruction, for if the signs of his Passion still remained in the glorious body of Christ... as if in sympathy. We ought to keep those wounds continually in mind and give thanks for them; as the Apostle says, 'Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.' Fifth, for the sake of our remembrance. and to keep the memory of them always within ourselves. He by no means forgets us, for whom He is known to have been so cruelly wounded; as it is written in Isaiah, 'I will not forget you; behold, I have inscribed you on my hands.' Sixth, for the sake of reconciliation with God the Father, so that God the Father might forgive the human race, for whom the Son so willed to be wounded; as the Apostle says, 'We have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the just, and He is the propitiation for our sins.' He prays to the Father for us, representing His obedience and always showing what kind of death He endured, which is indeed a way of interceding for us. Hence Bernard says: 'You have a secure access, O man, to God, where you have the Son before the Father, and the Mother before the Son.' The Son shows the Father His side and His wounds; the Mother shows the Son her breast and her milk, and there can be no refusal where there is so much love. They meet in the fire. Seventh, for the confusion of the wicked. He will declare how justly they deserve to be condemned. Therefore, according to Augustine, convicting them of the sin of His death, He will say: 'Behold the man whom you crucified; you see the wounds you inflicted; you see the Lamb you pierced, for whom you were unwilling to live.' Therefore, since the Lord had such love, and through His death saved us, even though He triumphed as victor in the flesh of Christ, He will appear to the chosen in the end, and the wicked will be punished, confounded, and perish, all the more because they were unwilling to be moved by such great love. He shows to all flesh the victory He won, and He will carry it forever, demonstrating the victory over the devil. The soldier of the Word acted bravely for the salvation of the whole race, and was pierced with many wounds, yet he killed the enemy, seized his spoils, and brought victory to the people. I think that the sign of His victory, and an example to encourage others to the same, are the scars He kept for Himself. In Christ, scars aren't a deformity, but a great beauty. Hence Chrysostom says how they are prizes. We know that the scars of Christ shine brighter than the rays of the sun. And so, according to Augustine, in that kingdom the scars of the wounds that the blessed martyrs endured for the name of Christ will appear on their bodies: like a star in the sky, a precious stone in a ring, a flower on a stem, or the red color in a rose. There will be no deformity in them, but dignity; a certain beauty—not of the body, but of virtue—will shine forth in the body. Even if limbs were cut off from the martyrs, they won't be missing those limbs in the resurrection; rather, where the limbs were struck or severed, the scars will appear, yet the limbs themselves will be restored, not lost.
Contemplation and Prayer
A final invitation to contemplate the Lord's presence and a concluding prayer for grace and steadfast faith.
Look now at the Lord. Consider his habitual kindness, his humility, and his burning love—how he shows his wounds to Thomas and the other disciples to clear every shadow from their hearts, for their benefit and for ours. He stays with them for a little while, speaking comforting words about the kingdom of God; they stand with him in great joy, listening to those exalted words and gazing at his face, which is full of joy, beauty, and grace. Watch them closely as they stand familiarly around him. You, too, should stand there with reverence and modesty, yet with joy—though at a distance—so that perhaps, moved by mercy, he might call you, even if you are unworthy. Finally, he tells them to go into Galilee and that he will appear to them there, just as he had promised; then, having given his blessing, he departed from them. They remained as they were before, hungry and thirsty for him, yet greatly comforted. PRAYER: Lord Jesus Christ, who showed Thomas, in his doubt, the places of the nails and the lance, and who called him back from error by letting him place his finger and hand into your wounds: grant that I may always keep the memory of your wounds and your Passion. May I offer and spend my finger and hand—that is, whatever discernment and work is in me—entirely in your service. And may I confess with Thomas that you are my Lord, who bought me with your blood, and my God, who created me, so that I may deserve to experience in myself what you promised him regarding the future salvation of believers, and, by your grace, be found blessed in your presence. Amen.
Read the original Latin
Adveniente autem octavo die Resurreciionis , iterum apparuit Dominus Jesus discipulis suis; nam quia non malitia , sed ignorantia Thoma» dubitavit , noluit pius Magister tam dilectum didiscipulum in infidelitate relinquere, sed ad fidem ejus reformandam iterum dignatus est apparere. Igitur post dies octo, cum in praedicto monte Sion, iterum essent di~ scipuli intus, et Thomas cum eis, pastor bonus et de pusillo grege soliicitus, venit, januis clausis, et stetit in medio eorum, ut possit videri ab omnibus, et dixit illis : Pax vobis, Stetit in medio, et dixit : Pax vobis, nunquam potest esse pax in collegio nisi praelatus sit in medio, ita quod non plus ad unam partem inclinetur quam ad aliam; columna nunquam sustinet aedificium, si sit ad partem prope parietem, et non in medio ; omnia elementa, praeter terram, moventur, quia non sunt in medio, terra autem immobilis est, quia in centro est et in medio. Saepe Dominus pacem discipulis nuntiat et commendat, ac persuadet habere, quia sinc PRiES. 71 5 pace impossibile est Deo placere; in eis enim qui pacem et concordiam diligunt, habitat Deus : quia factus est in pace locus ejus ; quia paccm veniens attulit , et hinc abiens pacem reliquit; quia tota perfectio Cbristianae vitae et religionis, in pace et dilectione consistit. Cum magna ergo diligentiadebemus pacem inquirere, et studiose observare. Unde Gregorius Na^iany[enus : « Pudeat ergo nos pacis munus deserere, quam nobis hinc discedens Christus reliquit. » Pax, est res et nomen duice, quam et Dei esse accipimus, juxta illud : Pax Dei; et ejus esse Deum juxta iliud : Deus pacis; et ipsam csse Deum juxta illud : Ipse est pax nostra, Pax bonum commendatum ab omnibus, et observatum a paucis ; quae autem causa est ? Fortassis ambitio dominii, aut facultatum, aut livor, aut odium, aut contemptus, aut aliquid hujuscemodi, ex his quae Dei ignaros videmus inquircFe.
Deinde dicit Thomce^ quasi respondens petitioni ejus suppositae : Infer digitum tuum huc, et vide manus meas; non quod in digito sit visus, sed quasi diceret : Tange hoc, et experire. Unde videre in hoc loco, pro sentire el intelligere ponitur, quod genus locuttonis adeo usitatum est, ut per omnes sensus currere videatur, sicut cum dicimus : audi et vide quam modulate cantat ; olfac et vide, quam suave redolet; palpa et vide, quam lene sit; gusta et vide quam dulce sit. Unde in Exodo dicitur : Cun^ ctus populus videbat voces, id est audiebat. Visus ergo propter sui certitudinem, pro omni sensu accipitur. Unde, secundum Augustinum^ nomine visus, genefaliter alii quatuor sensus consueverunt nominari, imo etiam aliquando pro intellectu accipitur , ut cum alicui dicitur : vides tu hoc, id est intelligis. Vei simpliciter dici potest, quod Jesus ad verba Thomae respondet, in quo etiam suam deitatem declarat, in quantum absens corporaliter ejus verba sciebat. Thomas enim duplici sensu, scilicet visu et tactu certificari volens, rfixit eis : Nisi videro in manibus ejus fixuram clavorum, et mittam digitum meum inHocum clavorum, et mittam manum meam in la-^ tus ejus, non credam, Jesus vero quasi respondens, dicit ei : Infer digitum tuum huc, scilicet in locum ciavorum, et vide manus perforatas et clavorum fixuras. Deinde subjungit : Et affer manum_ tuam, et mitte in latus meum lancea perforatum, et cognosce me illum eumdem esse, qui pependit in cruce.
Magnum certe fuit vulnus iliud sacratissimi lateris, in quo non digitum, sed manum mittere debebat. Mystice, per digitum significatur discretio, per manum opus nostrum ; monet ergo digitum et manum in locum clavorum et lanceae mittere, ut quidquid in nobis est discretionis et operis, in servitium Christi expendamus. Deinde subdit : Et noli esse incredulus, hoc est ad credendum tardus, sed fidelis, hoc est fide firmus, quia in peccato infideiitatis me iterum crucifigis, causam meae iterans Passionis. Hoc dixit Jesus, quia Thomas dixerat discipulis, Resurrectionem Christi nuntiantibus, se aliternon crediturum. Sicut ergo Thomas prae ceteris dubitavit, ita prae ceteris palpafe et videre monetur. Ubi Chrysosto^ mus : « Tu vero cum videris decredentem, discipulum, excogita Dominatoris clementiam , qualiter etiam pro una anima ostendit seipsum vulnera habentem, et accedit ut salvet unum; non enim ei statim apparet, sed post dies octo 7i( CAPUT LXXVIll. □. [ m medio a, discipulisadmomtus accendatur ad mijus dt^sideriuin.
et liJdior lisret in fatarum. « Tunc Thcmas cicatriccs Domini tetigir. et non aolum corde credcndo, sed que ad saluiem requiritur, eiclamaDs respoiidit et diiit ei ; DontJnns tneua, el Deus meus, scilicet : tu es Dominus meus, secundum humamtatem, in qua me sanguine tua redemisti ei compsrasti ; el Deus meus, secundum divitiitatem, quo me crcasti, et de limo formafiti ; jam nihil dublto, certus aum, confirmo Resurrectionem, prcdico immortalitalem : tu ea Dominus nxut, ct Magister meus, ego servus tuus, et Jllius ancillx luce ; tu es dcnique Deus meus, qui me creaali, a suscepisti, quam e tradid c redin ftdea mea, iia scntio, et ita credo. O felii Thoina, quam felicem hahuil liacnliam manus tiial Magna qiiippe liccniia, ei magna gratia est mitterc manum in laiua illud duldsaimum, in latus illud saluberriraura, in latus, inquam, unde ab ira salvamur, unde a culpa SBnimur, unde in gratia rcgeneramur, undc in gloria sublimamur.
Ipse crgo Thomaa, qui dicitur Didymut , propier dubium cor in credendo, quia fil5j[j. o? Griwe, geminus eat Latine, bene etiam dicitur abyssus, quia altitudinem divinilalia ztns. fide penetravit. Quanlam autem remunerationem fide: habebal, manifeBtatur, cum subditur ; Dixit i'i Jesus , beatili^Bndo confessionem ip«ius : Quia vidisti me, Tlioma. id est quia cipertus es, cliam per lactum, ideo credidisti; beaii qu: 7>on viderunt, et crediderunt. In hoc versiculo non aolum fidea Thoma; lus fiitura prtedicitur. Ac si diceret DominuE : Tu quidem beatus eSr quia enim me vidisti, eredidiati J aed et illi beati e dentes mc corpore, crcdituri siin» mentc.
Ubi,5ccunduro jiMgTwft'nt prcteriti lemporis usus est verbi» proptec certitudinem ; tanqua quid quod erat futiirum, in ai verat prteiiestinatione jam fanuin, quia apud ejus prasscntiam < futura prasterita sunt. Sed aliuA Thomaa vidit et palpavit corporej et aliud credidit corde : quia fidw» saltem quoad actum, nonpotest e de visis et apparentibua,^Jei nat que est argumentum, id est oste sio non apparenlium ; arguere en diccbant aniiqui ostcnderc. Hotali nem quippe seu humanilatem y et tetigii, et Dcum seu deiwenl quoe in prassenti videri n credidil. Dicendo enim : DomiHM . , cui < domininRi': dicendo vero, Deus meus, dtvitianl et unum cumdem Deum et Doml num. Unde TheophHus : « Qt prius inlidelis luerat, post toctum se opiimum tbeoiogui ostcndit ; nam dupli unicamque hypostasim Christi edl seruit. » Nos crgo consolando stii juniit Dominus : Bejli qui dermit etcrediderunt. Unde rfus .
- " Lteiilicat autcm valiie <pKI sequitur : Beati qui aon vidtrtn el crediderunt, in qua scnleiitiaBt specialiter signati sumus, quiMll qtiem carne non vidimus taoei bus sequimur; ille enim vere a I dit. qui exercet operando quod ci j dit ; « ha:c Grig-orias. De 1 I autem qui fidem nominc teni» i ' tineut Paulus dicit : Conjlttntiir nosse Deum, faclis aulem negaml Et Jacobua ; Fides siiie operilx 717 Chrysostomus, aliquis sic isto temporedixerit : utinam in temporibus illis fuissem et vidissem Christum miracula facientem ! tunc excogitet : Beaii qui non viderunt et crediderunt, Potuit autem esse quod post confessionem, quu Thomas dixit: Dominus meus et Deus meus, Dominus Jesus insufHans dixerit : Ac-' cipite Spiritum Sanctum, quorum remiseritis peccata, etc. , Ucet hoc non dicat Evangelista ; quia multafeeit Jesus, quce non sunt scripta in libro koc, Unde ipse qui virtutem suam non alligavit sacramentis, potuit sine signo sensibili dare Spiritum Sanctum, et conferre ei potestatem^ et ordinem episcopalem. Nam cre-^ dendum est, quod eum sicut alios Episcopum ordinavit.
Attende hic quod Christus Thomaft apparuit, quando in errore fuit; in quo magna Christi pietas ostenditur, qui propter unum solum venit. Unde Chrysostomus : Considera Dominatoris clementiam, qualiter etiam pro una anima ostendit seipsum vulnera habentem, et accedit ut salvet unum. » Hoc autem de Thomae dubitatione dispensatorie permissum est, ut evidentioribus argumentis Resurrectio Domini probaretur; ideo enim dubitatum est ab illo, ne dubitetur a nobis. Unde Gregorius : a Non casu sed divinae pietatis di&pensatione gestum est, ut ille electus discipulus tunc deesset, qui, audita Resurr rectione, dubitaret, dubitans palparet, et palpans crederet ; ut a nostris cordibus omnem dubitatiooem expelleret, et dum in Magistro suo Yulnera palparet carnis, in nobis Tulnera sanaret infideHtatis. Plus enim in nobis incredulitas Thomae, quam aliorum credulitas ad fidem profuit ; quia dum ille ad fidem palpando reducitur, nntuA nostra omni dubitatione postposita in fide solidatur; et non solum nostram fidem '^oboravit, sed etiam haereticorum errorem , dicentium Jesum verum corpus non habuisse, exclusi t. Unde et Leo Papa : « Suffecit Thomae ad fidem propriam vidisse quod viderat; sed nobis operatus est, ut tangeret quod videbat. » Unde iterum Gregorius de ipsius Thomae et aliorum etiam discipulorum dubitatione sic dicit : « Quod Resurrectionem Dominicam discipuli tarde crediderunt, non tam iliorum infirmitas quam nostra^ ut ita dicam, firmitas fuit. Ipsa namque Resurrectio, illis dubitantibus, per multa argumenta monstrata est , quam dum nos legentes agnoscimus, quid aliud quam de eorum dubitationesolidamur?
Minus enrm mihi Maria Magdalena praestitit, quae citius credidit, quam Thomas, qui diu dubitavit; ille etenim vulnerum cicatrices tetigit, et de nostro pectore dubietatis vulnus amputavit : » haec Gregorius, .
Dispensationis autem gratia, non ex curandi impotentia Dominus, qui mortis regna destruxit, signa mortis delere noluit, sed pluribus de causis vestigia Passionis, scilicet ciratrices vulnerum in corpore licet incorruptibili, reservavit. Primo, ad astruendam et probandam Resurrectionem, ac reformandam et corroborandam discipulonim fidem, de sua Resurrectione dubiam, ut credant quod ipse qui crucifixus fuit in eodem corpore nuraero resurrexit; in eo enim quod vuinera ostendebat, manifestabat quod idem resurrexerdt, qui in cruce pependit ",. unde Lucas : Videie manus meas, et pedes meos, quia ego ipse sum» — Secunda^ ad commendandam ejus circa nos dilectionem,. ut quam misericorditer simus adjuti, ostensis suae mortis Indiciis insinuet. nQsque ad dile* ttionem repundendam magis provocet; unde in Apocalypsi : Qui diUxit nos, el lavit nos a peccalii HOilris, in sanguine suo. — Tcrlio, sd ostendendam noslram redemptiDiiem, quia ilia vulnera fueninc nostrce redcmpiionis signum; unde Isaias : Ipse vulneratus est propler iniquilales nostras; ideaque miaericordios Doinini cantare non cessent, sed iruMc qui redempti sunl a. Domino dicant : — Quoniam bonus, quoniam m seculum misericordia ejus. — Quario, proptcr nostram xdiflcationem et instructionem, si enim in corpore Christi glorioso etiam manebant signa sua; Passionis, el n.
>s, quasi compatiendo. esdetn vulncra conlinue in menie ponare, et pro eis graiias agere debcremus; unde Aposlolus ; Hoc senlite in vobis, quod et in Christa Jesu. — Quinio, propter nostri rccordalionem. et memoriam apud se semper reiinendam. Nequaquam enim nosiri obliviscitur, pro quibu» sic crudeliier plagalu» djgnoscitur ; unde in laaia ; Ego tui nait obliviscar, ecce in manibus meis deseripsi te. — Sexto, proptcr Dei Patris reconciliaiionera, ul Deus Pater ignoscat humano generi, pro quo Filius sic voluit plagari; unde Apostitlus ; Advocatum habemus apud Palrem Jesum Christum justum, el ipse est propilialia pro peccatis noslris. Nara Patri pro nobis supplicat, obedientiam rcprEcsenlans, et qualc genus mortis pzrtulerit seraper oslendens, quod est quidem modus Jntcrveniendi pro nobia. Unde Bernardus : « Sectirum accessum habes, o homo aii Deum, ubi liabes Filiitm anle Patrem, Matrem ante Filium.
Filius □atendit Puiri latua ct vulnerai Mater ostendit Pilio peclus ec ubera, nec ulla poteric ibi esse repulsa, ubi tot carit. itis occurrunl ins ignia. ; — Seplimo, ad impiorum confusio. neribus, denuntiet quam guste damnari debeanl. Unde, secundum Auguslinum, convincens eos dt pcccaio su«e mortis, dicet : Ecee hominem, qucm crucifiiistis ; videtis vulnera, qua; intlixislis ; agn»1 per 1 s prascipui, lebuni Nai n ail ei icundur pupugislit propter vo: ire voluitlii. eisultatiolifinia amoI babuil, da, pcr qum V morle, ci salvi ergo Dominus licet justis Sanai», nI carne Christi fulgi ictor iriumphavit ds; ivil elecios VenieiM inibus apparebit, « injuaii» : ui juBli v quanta el quilia pro e sustinuit, in cjus amnre ampUi exardcscani, et in laudc rum actione proficianl; ii delerius puniantur, confundaniur, et pcreant, quanto magis tanlis boi' nedciisingralieistiterunl. el largio benclicia Dei indignius conlempi ctoria: suse omni carni oslendat, pcrpeluum circumferal, qu victorcm diaboli pcr inlinil: demonstrent. Miles, vcrbi grstii pro lolius genlis salute forlitf egit, et mullis vulneribus perfoi sus est, hoBtem lamen inlerfeci ejuaque spolia diripuit, ct victoriai genli rcportavit;* sl dicat \\ vel .
deformitale t Puto quod slgnum SUE victorix, ei pro eiemplo animandi alios ad idem, reMP* varel sibi clcatrices. Uti catriccs sunt in Chrisl deformilaiem, sed in magnam puU chriiudinem. Uode dicit ChrysosQUOMODO PRiES. 719 iomus, quod cicatrices sunt in Christo super radio solis lucidiores. Unde etiam, secundum Augustinum, in illo regno apparebunt in corporibus beatorum Martyrum cicatrices vulnerum, quae pro Christi nomine pertulerunt : sicut stella in coelo, sicut lapis pretiosus in annulo, sicut flos in stipite, et sicut rubens color ia rosa. Non enim deformitas in eis, sed dignitas erit, ct quaedam quamvis in corpore, non corporis, sed virtutis pulchritudo fulgebit; ncc idco tamen si Martyribus aliqua amputata et ablata sunt membra, sine ipsis membris erunt in resurrectione mortuorum , sed ubi membra , ut praeciderentur pcrcussa sunt , vel secta, ibi cicatrices, sed tamen eisdem membris redditis, non perditis, apparebunt.
Conspice nunc Dominum. et consiI dera solitam ipsius benignitatem, humiiitatem et amorem ferventem, quomodo videlicet monstrat Thomae et aliis discipulis vulnera, ut tollat omnem obscuritatcm de cordibus eorum, ad ipsorum et nostram utilitatem. Stat igitur cum eis per aliquam morulam, loquens de regno Dei consolatoria ; stant et ipsi cum eo in laetitia magna, audientes illa verba excelsa, et aspicientes faciem ejus plenam gaudio, ac decore et gratia. Attende bene eos familiariter circumcirca stantcs. Sta et tu reverenter, et verecunde, sed gaudenter, a longe tamen, sic forte misericordia motus faciat te vocari licet immeritum. Tandem dicit eis quod in Galilaeam vadant, et quod ibi eis apparebit, sicut promiserat , et benedictione data, discessit ab cis. Ipsi vero rcmanserunt, ut prius, de ipso famelici et sitibundi, sed plurimum confortati. ORATIO Domine Jesu Christe, qui Thomae dubitanti loca clavorum et lanceae ostendisti , ct eum per digiti ct manus immissionem, ab errore revocasti, da mihi uttuorum vuinerum ct Passionis semper ha ens mcmoriam, digitum et manum, hoc est quidquid discretionis et operis in me fuerit, totum in servitium tuum mittam et expendam ; et cum Thoma confitear, quia tu es Dominus meus, qui me sanguine tuo comparasti, et Deus meus, qui me creasti, ut quod dc credentium salute futura ei predixisti, in me merear expcriri, et, te largiente, beatus apud te inveniri.
Amen.
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