HANDS
is an illustrated meditation on the way of the cross. It was written in
1964 by Rev. William Crumley C.S.C. The work was inspired by his
meditation on a way of the cross which pictured only the hands of
Jesus.
The illustrations in Hands are reproductions of original etchings done
by Gladys Pacholke, a friend of Father Bill.
In addition to the etchings, each meditation contains a quote from one
of the Gospels. These quotes place the station in its biblical context.
Under the quote is a brief reflection of the author.
The meditations reflect on the hands of the persons who make up the
way of the cross.
Pilate who washes his hands and tries to separate himself from his
cowardice.
Jesus whose hands accept the cross
Jesus whose hands are unable to bear the cross
Jesus whose hands bless his mother
Simon of Cyrene whose hands help Jesus
Veronica whose hands wipe Jesus' face
Jesus' hands which again are unable to bear the cross
Jesus' hands which bless and comfort the women
Jesus falls a third time and his hands seem unable to raise him
The hands of the executioners which strip him of his clothing
The hands of Jesus pierced by the nails
The Father's hands which receive his work
Pilate's who washed his hands must now decide what to do with the dead
Jesus
The reverent hands of those who bury Jesus
Thomas who will only believe if he sticks his hands into Jesus' wounds
Which hands do you offer Jesus?
The opening meditation is hands down an original poem of the author
The creative hand of God
The destructive hand of sin.
The choice is man's
The choice is mine.
The hand raised to bless,
The hand raised to strike
The mother's hands which cuddle,
The father's hands which provide.
The child's hands reach out,
Do they grope in vain?
A mother once cuddled her child
protecting him in the cruel night.
But the protective hands of the mother
could not enclose the Light.
One day those hands would grow
They would bless, they would heal.
- They would comfort, they would feed.
- They would give peace, they would restore life.
Despite the love and mercy
these hands bestow
Sin and jealousy
cause them to bleed
There are hands which hinder.
There are hands which help.
There are hesitant hands,
there are eager hands.
One hand may tremble,
another falter
One hand may weaken,
another fall
Then there's the hand unlike any other
No one can escape it.
Try as you may
It will be there.
All must grasp it in love
Or slap it in hate.
But you can never avoid it,
Even for a day.
No matter what you do
There it will be -
The Hand of God
Lowered to raise us up.
william j. crumley csc
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