The beautiful scars that save

“What’s that?”
“What is the light?”
“It’s beautiful!”

Doctor: “The tracks of my tears . . . Time travel is damage, like a tear in the fabric of reality. That is the scar tissue of my journey through the universe, my path through time and space, from Gallifrey to Trenzalor. . .  My own personal time tunnel, all my days even the ones I haven’t lived yet.”

Well what did we expect to find in his tomb? (his tomb being a giant TARDIS that had leaked out all its ‘bigness’ as it was dying. Did you notice the recent crack in the glass, from the rough landing at Trenzalor, could even be seen in the larger version?)
These are the “tracks of his tears”. Of course it would be this, some spectacular, beautiful, eternal, enduring symbol of the Doctor’s great adventures, some testimony to his role as our Champion, saving human lives, bringing understanding and peace and protection to the universe through all his days. Of course his journey would leave its scars. But scars are the very indication that healing has occured. The Doctor may have torn the fabric of space and time at every turn, yet his actions rescued, saved, revived, made peace, healed.

There are of course other beautiful scars which have brought great healing and peace – you may have a few. In the words of prophet Isaiah “by his wounds we are healed“.

Isaiah is obviously not speaking of this Doctor, but of the great Physician, Son of God, Son of Man, King Jesus – the promised one who would heal the rift of sin that stood between us and the loving, eternal, Creator God. It is not any wonder that our fictional Time Lord chose the name “Doctor” – for this is what he does. (But that is the topic for another post I think.)

And just like the Doctor’s companions standing here in his tomb, they can see that some scars are beautiful, particularly when gained in the salvation of others. It’s a little bit like these ones:
“Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”
“My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed. (John 20:26-28)

Death could not defeat our Lord. By His wounds we are healed! There is a whole lot more we could say about the Doctor entering his own time stream, like Jesus through whom all things were made entering into time and creation, becoming the created, and setting up an incredible paradox, doing impossible things and all that. But perhaps that is enough for today.

A rugged cross stands as a monument to the beautiful scars of Christ. Have faith in His wounds which bring us peace.