Ann Farmer

The Five Wounds. Sanctuary for the Sick: Balm for the Wounded Spirit. Ann Farmer

Our Lord's miracles were not just exotic intervals in His 'real' ministry: His approach to the marginalized, the sick and the disabled was an intrinsic part of His mission - a sign of the Messiah, prophesied in Scripture, inseparable from the proclamation of the Good News. By studying His healing miracles from an often neglected perspective - that of the sufferer - we gain a glimpse of how God views His creation; by studying Our Lord's Passion, from His physical wounds and from His five 'invisible wounds' we draw comfort, strength and spiritual guidance. In Scripture we find inspiration; in the Sacraments and traditions of the Church, healing balm; in prayer and other useful resources, practical help. True to the ancient devotion to the Five Wounds of Christ, the contemplation of which helped ordinary Christians to see the suffering of others, to cope with their own suffering, and to find the strength to follow in His footsteps, The Five Wounds offers hope and help to those suffering the invisible spiritual wounds that accompany sickness and disability - the poor in body and the poor in spirit - as well as those who care for them. At a time when so many are swimming against the tide of 'assisted suicide' advocacy, struggling to resist the seductive voices of the Culture of Death, The Five Wounds offers the hope and help they need to carry on living the apostolate of suffering. Lifting the veil of Man's greatest mystery, it finds true love in apparently worthless suffering. In accepting God's plan, wherever it may lead, we find ourselves unexpectedly accepting His invitation to the joyful banquet of the Lamb.