Your Scars Make You Beautiful ❤️

"Scarred people are beautiful people." This is what Fr. Joel said at the beginning of his homily. And that is why here I am again, writing about his beautiful reflection. ❤️

The Gospel (Luke 24:35-48) is a continuation of yesterday's account (Road to Emmaus, reflection here). This time, Jesus appeared to the disciples and showed them his scars. "Look at my hands and feet and see that it is I myself. Touch me and see for yourselves that a ghost has no flesh and bones as I have." (verse 39)

Instead of doing the natural human response of hiding and being humiliated by scars, Jesus made His scars as His badge of honor - something He could be proud of. Why? Because His scars are a symbol of His and the Father's great love for us sinners.

Like Jesus, we can also turn our hurts and pains (and scars) into badges of honor by doing the following:

Turn your pains into passion
Forget the lesions but remember the lessons
Turn your accidents into advocacies

In simple terms, make your test a testimony. Find meaning in your misery.

Jesus had to go through the excruciating pain of the cross in order to save us and bring us back to the Father. This selfless act caused Him a lot of scars, not just physically but also emotionally (He was betrayed by His trusted apostle, all the other disciples left Him because of fear, He did not want to go through suffering, but He still chose to obey the Father's will). But these very scars made Him the Messiah - the greatest expression of God's love.

Our world today tells us that being beautiful is being flawless, without blemish, without scars. And so we have concealers and magic creams and all the treatments one can get in order to have that "perfect" skin or body or whatever - something "IG worthy."

But as what Fr. Joel said, the Instagram account of heaven is actually filled with selfless, wounded, scarred people... because just like Jesus, scarred people are beautiful! ❤️

Image Source: Pinterest.com

(Back in 2015, I attended a Holy Week Retreat with the Assumption Sisters, and I had an intimate encounter with the Lord which made me embrace myself - scars and all. I read it again tonight, and it made my heart smile. ❤️ You can also read it here: Allow Yourself To Be Loved)

Let me end with this song (again, because music is my therapy 🙂) from Alessia Cara. ❤️

But there's a hope that's waiting for you in the dark

You should know you're beautiful just the way you are

And you don't have to change a thing, the world could change its heart

No scars to your beautiful, we're stars and we're beautiful ❤️

Good night, beautiful! You are loved! 😘

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