Scripture reading
Let us lift up our hearts and hands to God in heaven..
–Lamentations 3:41
Thought of the Day
I just finished reading a little book by Henri Nouwen called WITH OPEN HANDS. It is a book on how to bring prayer into your life in a real and constant way. I love how he starts the book. He observes that we too often live our lives with closed fists. Closed because we are unwilling to let things go. Closed because of anger, or stress, or insecurity or fear, or all of the above. Nouwen then reflects that it is impossible to go to God with our clinched fists. We must go to Him with our hands outstretched and open. Open to receive His love or grace or forgiveness or all of the above.
Great words I think. When we kneel for communion, we reach out with open hands to receive the bread and the juice. We receive the body and blood of Jesus the Christ. When we go to God in prayer with open hands, we fully receive Him. That is the Good News, today.
Prayer
Lord of all. Help me to open my hands to you. Amen.