Praying Hands

One of the most familiar drawings in the world is the “Praying Hands.” It was sketched by a great German artist Albrecht Dürer using ink and pencil on blue colored paper in the early 14^th century. The drawing focuses on the hands of a man praying with his body out of view. It took more than a year to complete because the artist totally poured refined precision and exquisite craftsmanship into it. Today, this stunning masterpiece is found, along with Dürer’s finest collection of drawings, at the Albertina Museum in Vienna, Austria.

It was a commissioned art work. But there are many stories surrounding its origin. One version has it that the artist used his brother’s hands as model to honor those hands that worked and suffered for him. The obra simply immortalized the nurturing hands of his brother.

When I attended the ordination to the priesthood of Fr. Generoso A. Llenos at the Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in Punta Princesa, Cebu City on May 23, 2015, I was reminded of the “Praying Hands.” During the laying of hands by Archbishop Jose S. Palma on his head, I observed the hands of his parents Mr. and Mrs. Celeste Llenos clasped in prayer position. They were certainly praying for their son, Gene. Indeed, all these years they have been praying. Finally he is ordained a priest! Those hands also provided for him, fed him, cared for and supported him. The priest is never alone in his journey to the altar.

Now those hands that once were nurtured will be anointed. In an amazing manner, after the bishop anoints his hands with holy oil, those will be consecrated hands to do a work exclusively sacred: to bless, to absolve sins and consecrate the bread and wine. Those hands will now be the extension of Jesus’ hands in the world.

At the rite of ordination, the bishop presents an offered chalice and paten to the new priest symbolizing the spiritual power that grace has bestowed on him. Many times, we priests, acquire a great sense of entitlement by using such power for self-serving reasons. Perhaps a towel and a basin should also go along to remind the priest of his role as servant leader in the community. Just like Jesus who washed the feet of his disciples, he needs to reach out in humble service.

The priest is to model his life on the mystery of the Lord’s cross. It is for this reason that when St. John Bosco was just a newly ordained priest his mother, Margaret, reminded him: “Remember John, to begin to say mass is to begin to suffer.” The very heart of priesthood is the Eucharist. Just so suffering is part and parcel of the priestly life. The vocation of the priest is to unite himself to Christ for the glory of God and the sanctification of the world.

As we celebrate the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ, we need to take a second look at the Eucharist. It expresses the incredible love of Jesus. It is a memorial that brings us back to his Last Supper when he took with his sacred hands the bread and the wine. He broke his body and shared his blood to become the source of our nourishment and purpose. Every time we offer the Eucharist we remember Jesus’ tremendous sacrifice. Through it the world is continually blest and each participant constantly renewed. Our challenge is to see beyond the bread and wine the extraordinary love of our Savior and Lord.

The Eucharist immortalized the nourishing hands of Jesus giving himself to us as antidote for our indifference. Those hands were pierced by nails but they never gave up on giving. Our Eucharistic communion makes us part of the one family of God united in both suffering and glory. Every time we clasp our hands together in prayer to work for unity we become stronger. Through us the world is blest and sanctified. As Body of Christ and a priestly people, we become the extension of the praying hands of Jesus in our times. 

Love One Another

When Jhon Robert was growing up in Bantayan Island, he was told that his mother was working abroad. Any arriving vehicle would give him a feeling of excitement. He would run toward the door to peep hoping it was finally her. He would imagine her bringing toys and candies for pasalubong. But months turned to years. It was only when he was ten years old that his family told him the truth. Her mother will never ever come home because she died while giving birth to him in Bacolod City.

His young mind could not yet understand. That was the day he started to hate her.

Imelda Andales, his mother, was five months pregnant when the doctor told her the saddest news in her life. She had cancer in the stomach. Any medical procedure done would be detrimental for the baby in her womb. The doctor advised her to postpone the chemotherapy and operation after she gives birth. But the cancer was so aggressive. After nine months she had to choose between her life and her baby. Her husband wanted to save her. But she chose her baby over her life. Devastated at her death, the husband left his two children for fifteen years.

To escape the difficulty of home, Jhon Robert applied as a working student in their parish. But strangely, it was also there that he felt the attraction of entering the seminary. He did enter Don Bosco Formation Center in Lawaan, Talisay City. Through the intense seminary formation, he began to understand deeper God’s work in his life. He also started to pray for the closure of his issue regarding his mother.

Once in their immersion program he was assigned in Victorias. Every time the bus he was taking would pass by Manapla area on his way to Cebu, he would feel something strange. Soon after, his mother’s brother came to him in Victorias informing him that his mother was actually buried in the Manapla Cemetery. He lost no time to visit her tomb as well has his relatives who explained to him the circumstances of her death. It was an eye opener. She saw the death of her mother in a new light. He realized what she did was martyrdom. It was an act of love. She gave up her life for him to live!

Recently, Jhon Robert made his first religious profession as a Salesian of Don  Bosco along with eleven of his novitiate companions. Among his family members who witnessed the event was his father. Both father and son now realize how God moves in mysterious ways. Her loss turned out to be fruitful. The family’s gain was the result of a mother’s sacrifice. As they embrace forgiving each other, they were able to love one another this time even deeper.

The Gospel reading taken from the 15^th chapter of John is part of the “farewell discourse” of Jesus. He was beginning to tell his disciples that he was “going away.” Before he leaves, he tells them to love one another. He uses a very striking, yet common Jewish metaphor: the vine and the branches. It expresses a vital relationship that the disciples need to maintain with Jesus. This is still true for all of us today. Jesus tells us to be connected with Him. We are to remain in Him. This dynamic union assures us of our fruitfulness. 

In his visit to our country, Pope Francis reminded us that despite of our “busy-ness” we need to pray. “If we do not pray, we will not know the most important thing of all: God’s will for us; without prayer we will accomplish very little.”  Prayer gives us spiritual strength to love Jesus. And our love for Jesus gives us a strong motive also to love one another. As we celebrate Mother’s Day, let us pray for our mothers who were instrumental in giving us life.

(This article also appears in Cebu Daily News, May 10, 2015: Sharing the Word)