HAND-ME-DOWN
“Children were brought to Him so that He could place His hands on them in prayer.” –Matthew 19:13
Jesus laid His hands on children and prayed for them. He holds children and the whole world in His hands. Jesus embraces us with His nail-scarred hands.
Hands are for:
- praying,
- holding our spouses and children,
- embracing our brothers and sisters (see 1 Thes 5:26),
- disciplining children (see Prv 13:24),
- helping our neighbors,
- honoring (applauding) others,
- praising God (see Ps 134:2).
Hands are not for expressing:
- anger,
- impurity,
- rejection.
Our hands will be instruments of righteousness and not weapons for evil (Rm 6:13) if we put our hands into the nail-scarred hands of Jesus. When we let Jesus take our hand, we are transformed as was Peter’s mother-in-law (Mk 1:31). The rough hands of Jesus the Carpenter change our hands and hearts. We take Jesus’ hand by believing in Him and obeying Him. We take Jesus’ hand by receiving Communion, forgiving our enemies, and extending our hands to “the least of the brethren” (see Mt 25:40). Take Jesus’ hand.
PRAYER: Jesus, may I “give You a hand.”
PROMISE: “I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies, says the Lord God. Return and live!” –Ez 18:32
PRAISE: Pope St. Pontian and St. Hippolytus did not agree on papal succession in the Church. However, they reconciled after being exiled to the island of Sardinia.
