FRIDAY FAIR - WE'VE GOT IT IN HAND

Hands continued:

The way the priest holds his hands is not incidental. The hands of the priest are held in a certain fashion, some prescribed some by tradition, because of the Church’s symbolic code which should be easily read by any Catholic in any parish in the world.

Some are neither prescribed nor enforced but have value in them though a priest could ignore them completely and it not effect the Mass whatsoever. For example, have you ever considered where the practice of placing one’s hands palm to palm in prayer comes from? In ancient times someone who pledged service to their lord would place their hands thusly into the hands of their superior. This is a vulnerable position and a symbol of service and humility. This is the very act that occurs in the ordination right as a man kneels before his bishop and promises obedience to him and his successors. When we pray we often adopt this position of hands perhaps not even realizing that we are indeed symbolically placing ourselves thusly into the hands of our Master and Lord and trusting Him to care for us even as we defend His Name here on earth.

Other positions of the hands are indeed prescribed. A flat hand with the palm facing the desired target is used for calling down a blessing. So, for example, when a priest is ordained we have the laying on of hands, at the epiclesis (calling down of the Holy Spirit upon the bread and wine at Mass) the flat hand is used, or the laying on of hands at the anointing of the sick.

Another hand gesture is indicative. It is the blade of the hand that faces the target of the imparted blessing. At the end of Mass when the Sign of the Cross is passed over the assemblage or when the Cross is made over the gifts, it is this indicative mode that is used.

FRIDAY FAIR - A HANDY LITTLE POST

Fr. O was over just before Christmas and he passed along a comment by Fr. Groeschel as to why Catholics do not seem to pray to the Holy Spirit as much as to the other two persons of the Blessed Trinity or the Trinity as a whole. He suggests that the symbolism of the Holy Spirit is a difficult one two grasp. Until you have a relationship with the Holy Spirit praying to a dove or a flame of fire. For early artists the depictions of God the Father posed a similar problem. They were reluctant to paint God the Father. Who could paint the unseen God? Jesus was made flesh and so appear in the world, not so the Father. So exactly what is there to paint?

So many artists chose not to. Instead they painted the hands of God. That seemed an easier concept to capture. Rather than having to create a face for our God from the prayers of faith and Scripture it get the idea of the “hand of God” or “the right hand of God” which of course make the life of inventive artists much easier. So you might see, for example, a hand extending from the heavens which is the creating hand of God the Father. At my first parish there was a depiction of the Garden of Eden and a hand extending from the heavens and pointing toward the egress accompanied by the flaming sword of expulsion as a motivator which of course was the Father kicking His wayward children out of the garden.

Sometimes the hand stands alone usually with three fingers extended and behind it the nimbus or halo reserved for depictions of the Trinity alone (having three red or gold rays of light.) Rarely the hand is seen holding something and I have read reports of but never have seen a picture of the hand holding people to suggest His protection and favor.

Hands express much more than we might at first assume and that is not just for people who talk with their hands a lot. They are used in our liturgies quite extensively and their position and what they touch mean quite a bit. But that will have to wait until next week.

SYMBOLIC SATURDAY - I'LL GIVE YOU A HAND WITH THAT INTERPRETATION

You can tell a lot about a person by looking at their hands. As parishioners come up for communion you can tell who works hard with their hands for a living and who needs to write notes to remember to call someone about homework. There are very young hands that are smooth and plump and old gnarled hands of age. You cannot know everything about the person, but you can surmise much.

So it is with depictions of the saints. Hands are very important. For example you might notice that they have on them the markings of the crucifixion. If from other contextual clues you have surmised that it is a depiction of Christ, you know, obviously, that the scene is from after the resurrection. If it is not Christ it is of a saint that was granted the stigmata and so search for further clues as to whether it might be Saint Francis or St. Pio or some other saint.

Objects in the hands of saints are fascinating. Often we see weapons. St. Paul is often seen with a giant sword in his hands. I used to think that it had something to do with the way he spread Christianity, “Like a warrior, using the Word like a two edged sword!” But these weapons are all instruments of their martyrdom.

Some are very general such as with the sword that may mean a general martyrdom or beheading. A battle axe pretty much suggests that the saint in question was beheaded. Clubs should be fairly obvious as are rocks which St. Steven is often seen carrying. Saint Bartholomew who we celebrated yesterday was filleted alive and so he carries filleting knives. Some saints had their skins racked off of them with a wool comb and so proudly display that by which they showed their love of God.

Some saints have rather unique objects that are readily associated with them such as St. Catherine’s wheel. St. Lawrence who reportedly had a great sense of humor clutches the gridiron on which he was roasted. Legend has it that he told his tortures, “I’m done in this side, you can turn me over now.” St. Peter of course embraces his cross which is reversed from Christ’s cross for he felt unworthy to be crucified in the same manner as our Lord. Then there is Saint Andrew whose cross resembles a giant X.

One wonders what modern day martyrs will be shown holding. For example, will those shot ever hold a gun or bullets? One author suggest in the future we might use such objects as electric prods and bombs. Who knows?

One very interesting Church is St. Nicholas Croatian Catholic Church in Millvale, Pennsylvania. The artist, Maxo Vanka who painted the church in the late ‘30’s and early ‘40’s did a wonderful job of using tradition symbols for an updated message. One in particular called, “Injustice” is difficult to look at and not just because of the gas mask that the allegorical figure is wearing. Once again, look at the hands. Thick gloves cover them as if trying to protect itself its own dirty deeds. It deals with things of this world with disdain. In one hand is a mighty sword, but it is not the sword of its own martyrdom but the weapon that slays its many victims. In the other hand is held scales of justice, but the bread (Jesus) on the one side is far outweighed by the gold contained in the other. Fascinating!

There’s more on hands but that will be continued next week.