Empty Hands

‘With Empty Hands’ says: In 1888 ‘…a fifteen-year-old girl named Thérèse Martin knocked on the door of the Carmel of Lisieux in Normandy. She was admitted and stayed there until she died nine years later.’

In 1895, Thérèse wrote of her God: ‘I want to work solely for your love, with the one intention of pleasing you… In the evening of this life, I shall appear before you Lord with empty hands, for I am not asking you, Lord, to count my works…’

Empty hands? Perhaps because…

Empty hands are releasing hands. Thérèse needed to release the sacrifices that she’d made, the good deeds that she had done. I have friends who need to end destructive relationships that diminish them and their potential, let go of children who need to spread their wings and make mistakes…

Sometimes I need to let go of past hurts, selfish habits, unfounded fears… to release the pride in my achievements, the importance of my needs, the desire to make me the centre of my world…

Empty hands are requesting hands. Thérèse was asking for a deeper appreciation of God’s love. It’s the picture of a hungry Oliver Twist coming with empty hands (…an empty bowl?) asking for more… friends who caring for a sick relative, living with the pain of bereavement, facing apparently unanswerable questions…

For me there are family concerns, life situations, daily challenges… Sometimes I need the humility to admit that on my own I am not sufficient. I need help from others, from my God.

Empty hands are receiving hands

Thérèse treasured: ‘As a mother comforts her child, so shall I comfort you…’ The child’s empty hands receive love.

‘Unchained Melody’ is about empty hands that don’t receive.

Oh, my love, my darling
I’ve hungered for your touch
A long, lonely time…

St Francis said ‘It is in giving that we receive’; Thérèse said that it is in receiving God’s love that we can give it to others. I pray that I may know both realities.