I HAVE GRASPED YOU 

BY THE HAND

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for Monday in Holy Week is, “I have grasped you by the hand.”

I heard that message in today’s first reading from Isaiah 42:6.

I can picture that image.

HELD BY THE HAND

The little kid is scared. It’s her first day at school.  Her mom or dad or both are holding her hand as she is being led into school.

The old man is dying. He’s in hospice. His family is around the bed - and they are holding his hand.

I had a wedding on Saturday afternoon. The bridegroom  tells me at the  practice, “See that guy over there in the front bench.  When he was 12 and his sister was 9, they were at Disneyland. They weren’t in the car - when his parents were in the car  - and they were both killed.” I’m sure when those two kids went to their parents funeral Mass, when they walked into church - their hands were held by their uncles and aunts - coming down the aisle.

A neighbor dies at the age of 49.  His wife comes down the aisle - this time alone - but her neibghbor and her husband never hold hands walking across the parking lot towards the church - but this Monday morning they do.

GOD HOLDS US BY THE HAND

Isaiah - in today’s first reading - tells us that God holds us by the hand.

Picture ourselves walking into heaven God holding us by the hand.

This God who created the universe - this God who created everything - this God who gave us the gift of breath and life - this God who made all the crops - this God grasps us by the hand.

This God walks us out of the prison of darkness and into the light - walks us out holding our hand.

Kenneth Clark, in his fascinating book and in his TV documentary on Civilisation, talks about Europe in the 1800’s trying to grasp light - in the enlightment - joy in the great works of Bethoven - meaning - reason - hope - in great paintings.

That is true for every age and every person - out hands, our eyes, our ears,  are hoping to grab, grasp, answers, God, meaning.

Picture Christ’s hands nailed to the cross this week - wanting to have God his father to reach down to his son who was feeling forsaken and grasp him.

Picture Christ picturing Mary of Martha and Mary fame - just below him at Calvary - looking her in the eye - knowing she had anointed him with expensive perfume  just a short time earlier for his death.

Picture Mary his mother grasping Jesus’ hands  when they took him down from the cross.

CONCLUSION

During this Mass - take one of your hands and with it grasp your other hand and remember all those who held you by the hand during this life.

During communion at this mass when you receive Christ - hold him tight for a moment by hour hand and then enter into deeper communion with him.