You Need Hands

Max Bygraves sung:

You need hands to hold someone you care for
You need hands to show that you’re sincere
When you fear nobody wants to know you
You need hands to brush away the tears.

Yesterday at our local Seagull Theatre the ‘Project Board’ – that oversees the running of the theatre – met…. Building works is nearing completion, new staff appointments have been advertised, there’s a new theatre programme, various grants provide finances…

There was Helen, a musician who runs various music groups; Thom, an actor and writer whose latest play had its first performance last week; Alex, an artist who has a local gallery…  

We can have the best building, wonderful plans, a healthy bank balance… but we need hands – like Helen’s, Thom’s and Alex’s – to make it all happen.

We watched ‘The Repair Shop’ last night. Each week treasured possessions that have seen better days are brought to a workshop and restored.

Last night it was hand made canoe, a picture from a church in Ukraine, a grandfather’s chair and a diary from Liverpool’s ‘The Cavern Club’.

Each had a story; each held precious memories for family members; each was repaired and restored by the skilled hands of the expert craftspeople.  

The 16^th Century nun St. Teresa of Avila:

Christ has no body now on earth , but yours, No hands but yours, No feet but yours, Yours are the eyes through which is to look out Christ’s compassion to the world; Yours are the feet with which he is to go about doing good; Yours are the hands with which he is to bless men now.

Musing… Skilled hands… the musician, artist, craftsperson… the surgeon, technician, conjurer… Ordinary hands doing ordinary things, washing, gardening, carrying, caring… Christ has no hands but yours… mine.

Max Bygraves:

When you hold the brand new baby
You need tender hands to guide them on their way
You need hands to thank the Lord for living
And forgiving us this day