Hands and feet and side

St. John, in his vision of heaven and the Lamb, pictures the Lamb coming again on the last day to judge us. All will see him, even those who have pierced him. He will come bearing the same scars that he showed to Thomas on his hands and feet and side. Hands that broke bread to signify his own broken body. Hands that ministered bread to the starving. Hands that laid themselves on the heads of little children. Hands that touched lepers. Hands that were calloused in the carpenter's shop. Feet. Feet the mother worried about as they pattered over lumber .and nails and hammers, and brought her visions of the man who would be put to death by the same lumber and nails and hammers. Feet that Magdalen would wash. Feet before which the Syrophoenician woman threw herself in petition, in love. The wound in the heart. It was large enough for a hand, for our Lord said to Thomas, 'Put your hand into my side.' So when this Lamb comes, bearing these signs on hands and feet and side, we will all see the scars. We will be judged by them. He will say, 'Show me your hands. Have they been scarred from giving? Are they scarred in service? Are they scarred in labor? Are they scarred in relieving the cares of feverish brows? Have they been scarred in giving food to the hungry? 'For I was hungry and you gave me to eat.' Show me your feet. Have they gone on missions? Have they helped missionaries? Have they gone about doing good? Have they often made a track down the middle aisle of the church to visit the eucharistic Savior? Have they ever wandered to the feet of the crucifix? Show me your side. Is it scarred in pain out of love for him? Has the heart been scarred in love- not in need-love or self-satisfying love, but in gift-love? Is the side scarred from thinking about my Passion and my death that you may glory in my Resurrection?' This is the way you'll be judged: hands and feet and side.