Wounds in Heaven?
Today I’d like to talk about one of the songs from a recent album of my favourite contemporary Christian band, Casting Crowns. The song is entitled “Wedding Day” and describes the wedding feast of Heaven when Christ’s Bride, the Church, is finally presented to the Him:
Towards the end of the song there’s a lyric which speaks of the scarred hands of Christ wiping away every tear:
When the hand that bears the only scars and heaven touch her face
And the last tears she’ll ever cried are finally wiped away
And the clouds roll back as He takes her hand and walks her through the gates
Forever we will reign
I’ve spent quite a bit of time ruminating on this lyric. When I first heard this line I pondered: will Christ really be the only one with scars in Heaven? (This is the sort of thing I think about while driving in the car…)
Many months ago, while I was preparing the Lectionary Notes, I came across the following quotation in the Catena from St. Augustine in his commentary on John 20:26-31:
We are…afflicted with such love for the blessed martyrs, that we would wish in that kingdom to see on their bodies the marks of those wounds which they have borne for Christ’s sake. And perhaps we shall see them; for they will not have deformity, but dignity, and, though on the body, shine forth not with bodily, but with spiritual beauty… For though all the blemishes of the body shall then be no more, yet the evidences of virtue are not to be called blemishes.
– St. Augustine, City of God, Book XXII, Chapter 19
As much as I love Casting Crowns, I really prefer St. Augustine’s thoughts on this matter. If Christ’s wounds are preserved in Heaven, why should the wounds of His Body, the Church, not also remain in some fashion? But whereas on earth these wounds were sources of pain, in Heaven they will shine forth with glory!
I would suggest that we’re solidly in the realms of theological speculation here, but I’m really interested in your thoughts on this matter: Will Christ’s scars be the only ones in Heaven?
It’s a good question. Since we’re speculating: I guess I’ve always figured that Heaven was sort of bigger than time as we experience it (or maybe orthogonal to it?), as a sphere is “bigger” or “more” than the circle that forms a cross-section of it. I also imagined that we would come to see our lives much as God sees them: all at once, all as a present reality. So yes, all our scars will be there, I think; and yet somehow God through Christ must burn away the parts of ourselves that hold us back from Him. So maybe the scars stay but the bitterness that might once have come with them doesn’t?
As you say, this is all speculation; and speculation, in my case, from a random guy with a Bible, a big library of C.S. Lewis books, and an Internet connection (I have no theological training whatsoever). So I welcome correction from Scripture or magisterial teaching.
I don’t even have the CS Lewis books 🙂
A) I like to think there is a “Headless Club”, comprised at least by St John the Baptist, St Dennis, and St Thomas More. I know at least St Dennis would still be carrying his head.
2) It’s a downright crime if you are lacking some CS Lewis books. It will have to be remedied. I should have some extras laying around.
I actually have a few ordered for my 2013 reading list 🙂
The Church’s scars would have to remain, right? I mean, just because St. Augustine said it doesn’t make it infallible, but the way I see it, while we are not defined by our scars, we are shaped by them. It seems ontologically necessary (sorry, had to throw a big word in there) to still have them. I’m not “me,” in a certain sense, without the experiences – and the associated scars – that got me to this point. Jesus is marked by his scars, so it makes sense that his Church would likewise be marked by hers.
We like big words here 🙂
…and on the subject of Resurrected bodies…Joe asks an interesting question over at Shameless Popery: Does the glorified body of Christ have blood?
Sorry, but I don’t think these people commenting, saying “we are shaped by our scars” and will carry them onto heaven, have clearly never been raped or sexually abused. Honestly, I would rather be dead and never exist again, than be shaped for all eternity in heaven, by the pig who raped me. Will this pig really have all this power that even the scars he left on me, I will have to take to heaven? what the???????
Why did Jesus die on the cross, if we should all bear our scars in heaven. All the children and people who have been raped …. though they will no longer suffer emotionally over it, will still be shaped by these scars and remember them for all eternity. Where is the justice for the rapists? Will they also share in the glory of heaven (if repented) and see their rape victims who carry the scars of rape forever. This belief causes me so much anxiety and if it is true, I can’t see myself being a Christian anymore.
Dear Mirisnows,
Before I begin, I would like to say that I was heartbroken to hear of the trauma you’ve suffered, and that I pray that you are receiving the support (and justice) you deserve.
THE SEARCH FOR TRUTH
Prior to addressing your different points, I would like to briefly comment on your closing sentence. You say that, if what is being suggested here is true, then you couldn’t be a Christian anymore. When reading this I thought of the words of G.K. Chesterton who said that the only good reason to be a Christian is that Christianity is true. Christ Himself said that truth leads to freedom (John 8:31-32).
I can imagine a person disliking any number of Christian teachings, whether it’s sexual morality, care for the poor, or Hell, but if Christianity is true, why would one ever knowingly instead choose a lie?
THEOLOGICAL SPECULATION
As noted in the article, Augustine’s suggestion is a theological speculation. Therefore, both the article and the subsequent comments should be received as just that, speculation, not dogma.
SCRIPTURAL PRECEDENT
However, there is precedent for Augustine’s idea based upon the central events of our Faith, namely the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ. I would suggest that if one is not to receive a distorted notion of what Augustine is saying, we must continually apply the theological lens of Golgotha and the Upper Room.
The cross was the most evil event in all of human history… yet it was transfigured by God into the glorious moment of our salvation. Even after His Resurrection, the nail marks remained (John 20:26-28). They were no longer active wounds, but they were still present. It doesn’t seem unreasonable to assume that those nail-scarred hands now rest on His Heavenly throne (Revelation 5:6) and will remain there for all eternity.
IS AUGUSTINE’S ARGUMENT DIRECTLY APPLICABLE?
Augustine’s argument is that physical wounds incurred by the Martyrs for the love of Christ may be likewise transformed in the hereafter to be like Christ’s own wounds, being no longer blemishes, but beauties.
I would suggest that the kind of trauma you’re describing doesn’t really fit the situation of martyrdom described by Augustine and therefore wouldn’t be directly applicable.
IS THERE A BROADER PRINCIPLE?
However, can we apply Augustine’s principle more broadly? I think we could only deny this if we think that something couldn’t possibly be transformed by God’s grace… and I don’t think we can say that.
While I’ve never suffered like you, I can at least say that some of the most horrific things which have happened to me have shaped me, but also that this shaping process has not been unaffected by healing grace.
POWER OVER VICTIMS?
In your reply you suggested that if there’s any notion of remaining scars (no matter how glorious), abusers would have power over their victims even in Heaven. Please consider the wounds of Christ – do any of his torturers now have power over the enthroned Lord?
WHERE IS JUSTICE?
You ask “Where is the justice for the rapists?” Hopefully on earth some justice would be brought by the police. Regardless, in the hereafter, for the unrepentant there is hellfire.
Regarding the repentant, we have no reason to doubt that, like “The Good Thief”, even those who repent at the last moment will be with Christ in Paradise. Even one of the orchestrators of the Crucifixion seems to find salvation (Mark 15:39).
We may baulk at the idea of such mercy, but Jesus told an entire parable which culminates in the Master asking “…do you begrudge my generosity?” (Matthew 20:1-16). If St. Paul is right and “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:22-23) then I would suggest that we are not really in a position to criticise God for His mercy since we ourselves are wholly reliant upon it.
THE SAINTS IN LIGHT
I’d like to thank you for taking the time to read this longer response and I would like to end by sharing with you the story of Saint Maria Goretti, who is the Patron Saint of rape victims. She was mortally wounded by her attacker, but forgave him and prayed for him prior to her death. Later, she came in a dream to her unrepentant killer and offered him fourteen flowers, symbolic of each of her stab wounds, and brought him to repentance:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZaR7aT37T4
“…by His wounds we are healed” – 1 Peter 2:24b
Remember you and me we cannot be in the presence of our a Heavenly Father until Our spiritual light is pure , is perfect as he intended in creation ponder Adam and Eve in the beginning before sin That is what Our Fathers love wanted I feel I will be in his complete love when I completely love I will be in the perfection of Life eill I have scars I feel all but love will be washed away Just a thought to ponder. God Bless all of you in the desire to work your way to be with Our Lord May the Holy Spirit continue to give you strength, faith, love , wisdom and guidance 🕊️