Stigmata: the phenomenon of the 'Wounds of Christ'
Yves Macary
Since the death of Christ on the cross, there are some people that bear stigmata wounds on their body identical to those that were inflicted on the Son of God.
These include injuries to the hands and feet caused by the nails, wounds to the side produced by the spear of the Roman soldier, or lacerations caused by flogging or the crown of thorns. These sores can appear spontaneously on one or more body parts of some human beings. They are evolutionary, that is to say they can sometimes bleed, at times heavily, or disappear without leaving any scars. Some people have no bleeding but feel intense pain surrounding the points corresponding to the wounds of Christ.
Stigmatised individuals can at times feel overwhelmed with intense suffering comparable to that of Christ. When in a par- ticular state of being, they can even perceive some of the scenes that took place at that time. They are generally regarded as privileged human beings, and are also thought to be endowed with a divine gift. Is this really true?
Puzzling phenomena
Medical science is unable to explain this phenomenon. The injuries appear on specific dates (Good Friday, during Lent ...) or are sometimes permanent. They may heal sponta- neously and do not become infected. Medical attempts to alleviate the
suffering are in vain. Medical treat- ments are ineffective or can even cause inflammation that ceases when the treatments are stopped. These people also have a different metabolism. Some absorb little or no food at all during a long period. They are gener- ally believers. These unusual occurrences attract thousands of people who go on pilgrimages to the places where these stigmatised individuals live. The most famous among these people throughout the twentieth century were Padre Pio (1887-1968), Therese Neumann (1898-1962) and Marthe Robin (1902-1981).
Clearly spiritual happenings are manifest in all these incidents. In order to penetrate into their meaning, it is necessary to understand the evolu- tionary process of human beings in Creation and the laws that govern this. If human beings were a physical body only, the stigmatisations would not have an explanation. In the books "In the Light of Truth - The Grail Message" the author explains where human beings originate within creation and why we must journey on the various planes in order to evolve spiritually. Our evolutionary path involves several passages upon this earth. Understanding that it is possi- ble to return several times on earth, each time assuming a new body, is the key to understanding the meaning of many events that affect us. Also, knowing that we are bound to the consequences of our actions is a precious help towards our evolution. Indeed, this rigorous and just law always places us in the perfect situa- tions and circumstances that will allow us the possibility to undo the ill effects of past relationships. The popular phrase "we reap what we sow" best expresses this universal rule. Knowing these basic facts helps to unravel the mystery surrounding stigmatisation. The latter is clearly connected to the coming of Christ on earth.
The true meaning of stigmatisation
Humanity had increasingly distanced itself from the path of spiritual evolu- tion and was in such a desperate situa- tion that out of an immense act of Love, the Creator sent his Son into the world of matter. Through His teachings, Jesus accomplished His mission on earth despite all of the hostility He encountered. This animosity became so enflamed that it led to the brutal murder of the Son of God on the cross. This incredibly painful and in this case, totally unjus- tifiable form of death, was a common practice at that time.
Although the Son of God was of Divine origin, He too was nevertheless subject to the laws that govern the material world. Any wavering of this law would have meant an arbitrary act, which the Perfection of the Creator does not allow. Just like all human beings, Christ had assumed a physical body in order to come to this earth and therefore endured all of the pain inflicted upon Him during this ordeal.
This appalling act was obviously not willed by God but only resulted from the misunderstanding of human beings towards the words of Christ.
Hostility and senseless hatred were demonstrated in the attitude of many who watched Jesus suffer on the cross. The author of The Grail Message evokes their attitude: “If Thou art the Son of God, come down from the cross and save Thyself and us! These were the scornful words addressed to the Son of God as He hung in agony on the cross in the burning rays of the sun!
“Those who shouted this consid- ered themselves especially clever! They scoffed, they triumphed and they laughed hatefully without any real cause, for surely Christ’s suffer- ings were no reason for mockery and ridicule, much less for laughter! If but for one moment they could have 'seen' the simultaneous happenings in the Ethereal and Spiritual Realms, where their souls were being firmly bound for thousands of years, their laughter would have ceased. Even though their punishment could not become immediately visible in the material world, it did come in all the subsequent earth-lives which these wicked souls were forced to live on account of it.” (Volume 2, lecture 46)
Every person that blasphemed or mocked Christ as he suffered unjustly, returned to earth on several occasions and each time cloaked in a new body. The manifestation of the laws would lead to the events of the past and thus affect their own bodies in the same rigorous measure as their attitude in former times. In reality, they were mercifully granted help, because by experiencing pain similar to the suffering inflicted on Christ, they could more easily become aware of their terrible and wrongful acts of past times. Through humbly implor- ing forgiveness, they could be set free from the terrible bonds formerly weaved. The apparition of stigmata would no longer be necessary and the healing of the body could have become final. Unfortunately, however, the people surrounding or visiting these stigmatised individuals were far from directing their attitude towards stigmata in this sense. They became an additional obstacle towards the redemption of these individuals through their wrong opinions. They considered them to be privileged human beings, even possessing a Divine gift. Moreover they helped foster this view within these individuals that is nothing more than a terrible deception.
The prevailing misconceptions about the true meaning of the suffering endured by Christ, contributed to the emergence of such false ideas. Indeed, many people believe that their redemption lies with the death of the Son of God on the cross. The author of The Grail Message corrects this serious misconception. He writes: “Neither was the death on the cross a necessary sacrifice, but a murder, a dastardly crime! Every other expla- nation is a misinterpretation which either has its origins in ignorance or is meant as an excuse. Christ certainly did not come to this earth with the intention of letting Himself be crucified: neither does redemp- tion lie in the crucifixion! Christ was crucified because of His teaching, as a troublesome Bringer of Truth!
It was not His death on the Cross that could and should bring redemp- tion, but the Truth He gave to mankind in His Word!” (Volume 2, lecture 45)
The idea of an all-forgiving Creator who must help people when they experience difficulties that they themselves created, is widespread. However, the love of God is very real, but it is always embedded in His immutable, universal laws. When we do not respect these laws, the return- ing effects are inevitable. If we cause harm to someone, the consequences of our actions will inexorably reach us one day. By becoming aware of our misdeeds and humbly asking forgiveness of the wronged person, the harmful bond that we weaved can be completely erased. An incred- ible grace lies in the recognition and reparation of the misdeeds commit- ted. This enables us to evolve. The people who once voluntarily attacked and mocked Christ during His time here on earth, as He fulfilled his necessary mission of help, are subject to these same laws. And even though in this case the one that they pursued with their hatred was an exceptional Divine Being, the effects of the laws could not be circum- vented on this account. The offence was indeed extremely serious, since nothing could justify such a fury of blind hatred. When stigmatised individuals reincarnate, they are often believers and because of this they can occasionally bring some comfort to their visitors. This fact however, does not remove their personal responsibility to awaken to the realisation that God does not privilege them but on the contrary they are marked because of their attitude towards Christ in former times. Suffering is not an absolute necessity in order to evolve; the simple observance of the laws of Creation, therefore the Will of the Creator, brings only joy. Suffering is simply the result of nonobservance of the principles of evolution embodied in Creation. Once people adjust themselves to the laws, the suffering stops.
Stigmata constitute one of the most dreadful, visible warnings of the action of Divine Justice expressed in the law of cause and effect. It should humble us and prompt us to rigor- ously examine ourselves in order to avoid weaving bonds that hinder our evolution and pave the way for painful repercussions in the future.
