Luke 24:40

(Mor. 14. c. 55.) It follows, And when he had thus spoken, he showed them his hands and his feet, on which indeed were clearly marked the prints of the nails. But according to John, He also showed them His side which had been pierced with the spear, that by manifesting the scar of His wounds He might heal the wound of their doubtfulness. But from this place the Gentiles are fond of raising up a calumny, as if He was not able to cure the wound inflicted on Him. To whom we must answer, that it is not probable that He who is proved to have done the greater should be unable to do the less. But for the sake of His sure purpose, He who destroyed death would not blot out the signs of death. First indeed, that He might thereby build up His disciples in the faith of His resurrection. Secondly, that supplicating the Father for us, He might always show forth what kind of death He endured for many. Thirdly, that He might point out to those redeemed by His death, by setting before them the signs of that death, how mercifully they have been succoured. Lastly, that He might declare in the judgment how justly the wicked are condemned.

And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. Not only the hands and feet, which bore the marks of the nails, but also the side which had been pierced by a spear, as attested by John, he showed. So that by showing the scars of his wounds, he might heal their wound of doubt and unbelief. Indeed, just as after the resurrection he graciously revealed the places of the nails and the spear to strengthen the faith and hope of his disciples, so in the day of judgment he will come revealing the same signs of his passion and the very cross itself to confound the wickedness and unbelief of the proud. Clearly, that he might show to all, angels and men alike, that it is him who died for the impious and by the impious, and they shall see (as it is written) him whom they pierced, and all the tribes of the earth shall mourn over him (Rev 1:7). Certainly, it must be noted that the Gentiles are accustomed to raising a challenge in this place, and foolishly ridicule the faith in our hoped-for resurrection. For if your God (they say) could not heal the wounds inflicted by the Jews on himself, but as you say, took the marks of the scars with him to heaven, with what boldness do you believe that he will restore your bodies from dust to their entirety? To which the response must be that our God, who raised his flesh, glorified now with perpetual immortality, from the sepulcher when and how he chose, also restored it as he willed. For it does not follow that he who is proven to have done greater things would be unable to do lesser ones. But certainly, out of grace of his dispensation, he who did the greater chose not to erase the lesser, that is, he who destroyed the realms of death chose not to obliterate the signs of death. First, evidently, so that through these he might establish the faith of his resurrection for the disciples. Then, so that while interceding with the Father for us, he might always show what kind of death he endured for the life of mortals. Third, so that he might always renew the signs of the same death by which they have been redeemed, generously aiding them, so that they might never cease to sing the mercies of the Lord eternally, but let those say, who have been redeemed by the Lord, that he is good, for his mercy endures forever. Finally, so that, in the judgment, he might also demonstrate to the faithless how justly they are condemned,…