3/09/25-“Spring Forward”
Today is the first day of Daylight-Saving-Time for Spring 2025 when we “spring forward” by one hour. How else shall we spring forward?
To project our hopes into the future, let’s look back to a similar time.
While consulting my usual news sources to decipher what is afflicting our world this morning, I began to reflect on the life and work of St. Teresa of Avila. St. Teresa of Avila was a Spanish Carmelite nun born in 1515 CE during a tumultuous time of tremendous social upheaval.
The parallels to what we are experiencing today struck me deeply. Teresa was a reformer, as much as MLK-JR, John Lewis, or Cesar Chavez. While the Protestant Reformation flamed up in Germany, France, and Switzerland, Europe also dealt with the Spanish Inquisition.
This conflict would ultimately result in over a century of internecine strife and civil wars. Teresa was caught in the middle, being a devoted Catholic who was nevertheless indicted by the Catholic counter-culture for sounding and acting too much like the Protestants.
St. Teresa lived in a polarized world, as we do. One major difference is that in our time and place, we do not avail ourselves as much of spiritual solutions as Europe did during that troubled period, ironically called, the Renaissance (renewal).
Christian beliefs of one sort or another pervaded Europe. While Christian beliefs did not stop the onset of mutually disabling wars, nevertheless, all European populations viewed the world through a “Christian” lens.
That is not the case today. Christianity is not the mode of viewing the world or of society. We live in a secular society which for most people relegates organized religion to the sidelines. Nevertheless, as I read what comes up on various media channels, many folks do manifest an interest in “spirituality”. Maybe what a lot of us need, me included, is a fresh way to see an all too familiar “Jesus”.
As a Christian minister, I wondered what ideas in the Christian repertoire might interest people who want a more spiritual life. The life and work of St. Teresa came to mind. Her writings, which she penned nearly 500 years ago, continue to inspire spiritual seekers today. One of her most inspiring poems has led to updated versions of her song being rewritten in a modern venue. I have reproduced her original poem here and followed it with a couple of modern versions. Here it is, titled Christ Has No Body but Yours.
Christ has no body but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which He looks
With compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which He walks to do good,
Yours are the hands with which He blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are His body.
Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which He looks
With compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.
Jarrett Stephens (@JarrettStephens) shared a modern take below. Jarrett commented, “Heard this today & had to track it down! Love it.:
Christ has no hand but our hand to do His work today.
He has no feet but our feet to lead men in the way.
He has no tongue but our tongue to tell men how he died.
He has no help but our help to bring them to His side.
Edward Goode, from ImagoScriptura.com, shares an experience of walking through an outdoor Station of the Cross, where he saw something strange. At the 8th station, there was a statue of Christ with his right hand broken off. Someone had placed a stick in the spot of the missing hand.
The scene reminded Goode of Teresa’s line in her poem, “Christ has no hands but ours”. Goode further thought about people who try to imply that Jesus should take up a weapon, much as a disciple tried to put a sword in Jesus’ hand when He was arrested. Incensed, Goode removed the stick and put a flower in the place where the sculpted missing hand of Jesus should be.
Here’s another version I came across online, with no author cited. However, I believe St. Teresa would be pleased.
Christ has no hands but our hands to do His work today,
In a world yearning for love, we're called to light the way.
Only our voices to speak the truth, only our eyes to see
the plight of all His children.
In their need, He calls to thee.
No feet but ours to tread the path of mercy, grace, and light. Through shadows of despair, we walk in faith and might.
No heart but ours to feel the pulse of every joy and pain,
With every act of kindness, His love we seek to gain.
We are His hands, His voice, His feet on this earthly land,
To heal, to teach, to comfort, and to follow His command.
With hearts aglow in service, we share His endless grace,
In every smile, in every act, we see His loving face.
Which version do you like best? Why?
St. Teresa wrote many other poems and several books, and she continues to inspire and give people hope today.
I will return to this topic soon. Meanwhile, please share your thoughts and questions about St. Teresa, spirituality, or modern Christianity's state. If you like to write poetry, try writing your own version of St. Teresa’s verses. Meanwhile,
Those who follow Jesus are witnesses of hope, responding first. They emulate His example to bring hope where it seems absent.
When Jesus went up on the mountain, “His disciples came to Him” (Matthew 5:2).
The Sermon on the Mount was delivered directly to His small band of disciples. It was a training session. Jesus was putting the kingdom of heaven in their hands.
He began by showing His first disciples the blessings they would receive and the work they would be assigned. Their blessings would also be the source of their strength and power to do His work.
Hundreds who were not disciples were allowed to listen and observe. Later, some of them would follow Jesus, while others did not due to the demanding requirement of taking up their crosses.
Thus, “Jesus opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:3-10)
These are profound lessons, for they each bring hope where none is apparent. When our spirit is down, things can appear hopeless.
But the kingdom of heaven is as near as our breath. And so on.
All this shall be ours. Here and now. All this we can give others. Here and now. Our hands will be like those of Jesus. We are His first responders, for He has no other hands. We are Hope’s Witnesses.
Does it seem overwhelming? We may say it’s too much. I can never be all that or do all that.
Yet the Beatitudes are not a condition we achieve. They are a gift we receive. Jesus leads. All we must do is to follow. Read His words. Follow His journey with Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Pray for His spirit.
Then open your heart—and your hands.
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Shalom. Neil
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