As our Easter Season continues, we hear how Jesus reveals Himself to His disciples and the fear and disbelief they have. These testimonies are not just so we understand that Christ conquered death, but are meant for us today and how we are called to go out to testify and witness our faith.

One thing that challenged me was how Jesus convinces His followers that He is truly alive: by showing His wounds. As the Divine, Christ could have risen with a perfect body, not one that shows His scars and wounds of being human. But that is not what happened. His disciples (and we) see him for the pain that He endured in His resurrected body. This is significant for me because when I am in the most pain, I find myself gazing in prayer at the crucifix, focused on His wounds. I am comforted and know that Christ has endured pain much greater than mine and understands my pain.

Why do I share this? I share that I have experienced great pain, because I HAVE, and I know that you have. Our society is used to the polished and perfect images that we see on social media. But life isn’t perfect, and we all feel pain. If we don’t talk about it or share it, we can feel alone and isolated. I had a good friend challenge me this week to step out of my fear and trust to share the real me, not the image that people want to see. In being a real witness to my struggle and pain, I can help more than if I only share the easy parts of my life. The challenge to myself and you this week is to share your woundedness and how your faith has helped sustain you so you can help someone else!