DNIC Vulnera Gloriosa
28 April, 2006 by PF
Today in the Passionist Calendar we celebrate the Feast of the Glorious Wounds of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Feast of the Five Wounds used to be celebrated in Lent, but now is kept on the Friday after the Easter Octave. The prayers and readings of the Office and Mass for today reflect the traditional devotion to the wounds of Christ, while the Gospel (Jesus appearing to Thomas after the resurrection: Doubt no longer but believe)and the Concluding Prayer of the Office (and Collect of the Mass) highlight the Easter dimension of this feast of the Wounds of the glorfied and risen Jesus:
Lord Jesus Christ, your hands, feet and side were pierced and flowed with blood for the world’s salvation. The wounds in your risen body strengthened the faith of your apostles in your glorious resurrection. Deepen our devotion to these proofs of your love and unite us more closely to your Passion, so that we may rise with you to newness of life.
Welcome back to blogging. You were missed. Hope you’re feeling better. I’m pondering on the rightness of celebrating the Feast of the Five Wounds after Thomas Sunday. I wasn’t sure if I was comfortable with its transference to Easter, but with the backdrop of Emmaus and Thomas and the other appearance stories where Jesus invites the disciples to touch the wounds, I think I see a glimmer of understanding, for me at least.