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Saturday, November 25, 2006

Hands On or Hands Off?

A Reflection on Psalm 144:1-2; 10.

Funny thing this part of my body - my hands; it can work, it can do wonders, it can get me into trouble, it can create, it can destroy. Or like my boss who keeps harping on me getting "hands on" at the workplace! But it involves some sort of action, of movement. It can never be stationary. Even now my fingers are tapping away at the keyboards, working out my thoughts and ideas however illogical the end result may seem! But it must get "dirty". Otherwise it's just not a "hand" and it certainly doesn't do itself any justice!

What about using our hands for working for things we believe in? Here and now. Today. In Malaysia. Are our hands doing us any justice? Or do we just leave it to "others" to do the dirty job? And keep our hands clean and free? How are we living our baptismal vows (maybe it's because somebody else did the vows for us???) - to be priests, prophets and kings?

For inspiration, on what we can do with our "hands", here are two sources:

1. A preaching by the
Reverend Canon Watkins (http://sunshinecathedral.org/sermons/20061008_0840.htm)

My hands are God’s hands.
I will work for justice.
My hands are God’s hands.
I will work for peace.


My hands are God’s hands.
I will embrace my good.
My hands are God’s hands.
I will share my good with others.


My hands are God’s hands.
I will rejoice.
And so it is.
and,

2. "If I Had a Hammer", a song written by Pete Seeger and Lee Hays. It was written in support of progressive movements in 1949. A cover released by Peter, Paul, and Mary in August 1962 More importantly, It was an anthem of the Civil Rights Movement and covered by dozens of major artists. It also was a common selection for "folk" Masses in Catholic Churches and became a top 10 hit.

If I had a hammer
I'd hammer in the morning
I'd hammer in the evening
All over this land
I'd hammer out danger
I'd hammer out a warning
I'd hammer out love between my brothers and my sisters
All over this land

If I had a bell
I'd ring it in the morning
I'd ring it in the evening
All over this land
I'd ring out danger
I'd ring out a warning
I'd ring out love between my brothers and my sisters
All over this land

If I had a song
I'd sing it in the morning
I'd sing it in the evening
All over this land
I'd sing out danger
I'd sing out a warning
I'd sing out love between my brothers and my sisters
All over this land

Well I've got a hammer
And I've got a bell
And I've got a song to sing
All over this land
It's the hammer of justice
It's the bell of freedom
It's the song about love between my brothers and my sisters
All over this land
Well, armed with this, maybe now we can all march on to "battle" - with our hammers and typewriters and whatever other tools as may befit the need! And, in the process, to work with the same conviction as the psalmist today and "to really be priests, prophets and kings."




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