When Jesus appeared to the disciples at the Cenacle he brought three gifts – and an invitation to touch His wounds.
These were the touchpoints for Pope Francis in his commentary April 28, 2019, before praying the Regina Coeli with the crowds gathered in St. Peter’s Square. He cited the Gospel for the day, from the 20th chapter of John.
“Today’s Gospel tells us that on the day of Easter Jesus appeared to His disciples in the Cenacle, in the evening, bringing three gifts: peace, joy, and the apostolic mission,” Pope Francis said. What were those three gifts?
- Peace: “The Risen One brings genuine peace because, through His sacrifice on the cross, He realized the reconciliation between God and humanity and vanquished sin and death. This is peace.”
- Joy: “The evangelist says that ‘the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord’ (v. 20). And, in Luke’s version, there is also a verse that says they couldn’t believe because of their joy.”
- Mission: “He says to them: ‘As the Father has sent me, even so, I send you’ (v. 21). Jesus’ Resurrection is the beginning of a new dynamism of love, capable of transforming the world with the presence of the Holy Spirit.”
The Holy Father also mentioned Jesus’ invitation to the disciples to touch His wounds, noting that it is a teaching for people today as well as for the disciples. Jesus invites us today to also touch His wounds.
“To touch Jesus’ wounds, which are the many problems, difficulties, persecutions, and sicknesses of so many suffering people,” Francis said. “Are you not in peace? Go, go visit someone, who is the symbol of Jesus’ wound.
“Touch Jesus’ wound. Mercy flows from those wounds. Therefore, today is the Sunday of Mercy, which comes to all of us through His wounds. All of us, we know, are in need of mercy. Let us approach Jesus and touch His wounds in our suffering brothers.
Jesus’ wounds are a treasure: mercy flows from there. Let us be courageous and touch Jesus’ wounds…He gives us mercy if we approach Him, and intercedes for us. Do not forget Jesus’ wounds.”
