Day 164: Guided by His Hand
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Hi, I'm Fr. Mark Mary with Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, and this is the Rosary in a Year podcast, where through prayer and meditation, the rosary brings us deeper into relationship with Jesus and Mary and becomes a source of grace for the whole world. The Rosary in a Year is brought to you by Ascension. This is day 164. To download the prayer plan for Rosary in a Year, visit ascensionpress.com forward slash rosary.

Rosary in a Year or text R-I-Y to 33777. You'll get an outline of how we're going to pray each month and it's a great way to track your progress. The best place to listen to the podcast is in the Ascension app. There are special features built just for this podcast and also recordings of the full rosary with myself and other friars. On behalf of myself and the whole team here at Ascension, we wanted to take this opportunity to thank everyone who's helped support this podcast financially. Your support is so appreciated and helps us to reach as many people as possible.

And if you haven't already, please consider supporting us at ascensionpress.com forward slash support. Today we will be meditating upon and praying with the first glorious mystery, the resurrection, with help from a painting entitled The Incredulity of St. Thomas by the artist Caravaggio. A brief introduction to our

artist Caravaggio, born in the year 1571, died in the year 1610, and his style is Baroque. This particular painting was done in the year 1601. And now a description of the painting. Jesus, draped in a white cloak, takes the hand of Thomas and draws his hand towards him as he guides the disciples' fingers

into the folds of skin around the open red wound on the side of his rib cage. Jesus' gaze is firmly and tenderly focused on Thomas' hand. His brown curls fall at the side of his downcast face. Thomas is flanked by two other disciples over Jesus' shoulder. They are draped in colored garments against a simple dark background. They each wrinkle their foreheads in wide-eyed astonishment and disbelief

as they peer into Jesus' holy wound." Now, I don't want to make this about St. Thomas. I want to keep our prayer today about Jesus, but we might, if you will, like in quotes, "clear" Thomas' name in the meantime. And I say that because I guess I'm not totally 100% on board with like the mainstream doubting Thomas narrative, if that's really a thing. So let's go to the Gospel of John chapter 20.

We have in verses 19 to 23, Jesus appearing to the disciples who are collected together behind a closed door. Jesus says, peace be with you. The gospel says he showed them his hand and his side. Then he says, peace be with you as the father has sent me, even so I send you. He then breathed on them and said, receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven. If you retain the sins of any, they are retained.

Then in verse 24, we move to another day. Thomas, who wasn't there for this post-resurrection appearance of Jesus, is now present. And the disciples tell him what happened. And he says, And this is where there's quite a bit of space of interpretation here.

Personally, my read of it isn't that Thomas is saying, "Hey, I don't believe it happened and unless I see it for myself, I won't believe." I just don't think it's possible. Nor do I think his response is, "Hey, this isn't fair. It's not fair that you guys got to see the Lord and see His wounds. I want to too. I'm not buying in until I get the same treatment." That's not what I read into it. My read is more this: I want to believe. And if this is true, it will change everything and my life will be put on a totally new trajectory.

But I need to see him. I need to see his wounds for myself. My read is more of a recognizing of the stakes. Like everything is different if this is true. But also like a recognizing of his needs. And both, I think, are lessons that we can learn and spend some time with. Now eight days later, they're all together in the same room. And Jesus appears and what does he say? "Peace be with you." And then he says to Thomas, not, like how could you not believe?

nor is there chastisement for his little faith. At least I don't see it as a chastisement of his faith, and there's no word of condemnation, but rather, "Put your finger here and see my hands, and put out your hand and place it in my side. Do not be faithless, but believing." And then Thomas exclaims, "My Lord and my God." And Jesus concludes with, "You have believed because you have seen. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe." And what I receive from Jesus

is him being merciful. "Thomas, I have heard you. I hear what you need. Yes, you could have come to faith through the testimony of disciples, but you want more. And what's important is not that you get it at the first shot, the first opportunity. What's important is that you come to believe." Right? And then he returns to Thomas and we could see this in many ways as Thomas being the lost sheep being sought out by the good shepherd. And then Jesus says, "Here, see my wounds, see them for yourself.

And I believe I'm at least somewhat on the same page here with our artist Caravaggio and his painting of this scene. And as you pray with it, certainly take some time pondering the hand of Thomas as it's being gently guided by Jesus into his very side. But I encourage you to spend even more time with the face of Jesus. Notice that there's no anger, there's not condemnation, but this loving expression of self-gift.

his face seems to say thomas these wounds are for you these wounds are part of your inheritance come and see come and touch come and receive and what i want us to focus on in our prayer today is this revelation of the heart of jesus he wants us to believe he's willing to meet us where we're at and to help us make the next best step in faith in his resurrection

and faith in like action, which is right, the total reorienting of our life because of this reality. And making no mistake, where he wants us to get to is total faith, which we respond to by giving everything. So pause here and take some time to reflect on like how important for your life is the fact that Jesus is risen? Like, is this the defining truth of your life? And spend some time wrestling with it. If the answer is not really, well, maybe this could begin a journey of seeking out why it's so important.

Or also, is there an invitation here to recognize what you need and to share this with Jesus like Thomas somewhat unknowingly did? And trust that Jesus will respond to your need in the way that he deems most perfect. Personally, like for me, what I recognize is that I actually don't need more signs. Like I actually believe. I do believe. But my actions don't always live up to what I actually believe.

And so my prayer isn't more signs. My prayer is more grace. Like I don't need an aberration. I actually don't need to see your wounds, Jesus. I believe, but I do need more grace to receive more of you so that I can give more of me. So maybe we can be here. Okay, I believe Jesus. Give me more though. Give me more grace. Give me more of your Holy Spirit. So let's spend some time with these questions. Let's spend some time pondering Jesus' face in today's painting.

And now with Mary, let us pray. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Alright, thanks so much for joining me and praying with me today. I look forward to continuing this journey with you again tomorrow. Poko Poko friends. God bless y'all.