These open hands image well the three ancient exercises of Lent: prayer, fasting and almsgiving.
Lifting our open hands in prayer is a sign of praise while simply sitting with open hands, palms up, is a sign of our openness to receiving what God has to offer us in our prayer...
Hands empty of food and drink are the hands of those who fast, hands emptied of physical nourishment in hopes of feeding hungers deeper in the soul...
Hands reaching out are helping hands, ready to serve the needs of neighbors, particularly the needs of the poor...
Empty, open, outstretched hands are also the hands of a beggar, one who acknowledges those needs that only God can fill and satisfy: before our God, we are all beggars...
Lent is a time for empty hands, lifted in prayer, emptied to be filled, reaching out to help...
Are these our hands this Lent?
Are these the hands of our prayer, fasting and almsgiving?
-ConcordPastor
I was looking back at your "Am I a Catholic" posting. I was hoping to see the text of the talk you gave the night of the Faith Festival. They were really wonderful and thought provoking. Any chance you could post those? I don't know the logistical challenge of that as I've never done any kind of blogging, but if it were possible, I, and I think others, would find your talk very helpful and comforting.
ReplyDeleteThe logistical challenge isn't a blogging one, it's that I spoke from notes and not a text. Had I a text I could post it on the blog in no time but what I need to do is convert from notes/outline to a sensible, readable text. I hope to do that even for my own purposes but I doubt that I'll get to it before Easter. Keep an eye on my blog after Easter - and send me another nudge if you don't see it :-)
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