Dear parishioners and visitors;
“He said to them look at my hands … and he showed them his hands” (Lk. 24:38-40). Our Risen Lord Jesus shows his wounded hands to his fearful apostles reminds me of a true story of the Praying Hands, painted by Albrecht Durer in 1508. Albrecht Durer was from a big and poor family of 18 children in a village near Nuremberg, Germany. He and his brother, Albert, wanted to be a famous painter. However their family was so poor and their parents could not send either of them to Nuremberg’s Academy. They made a plan by tossing a coin that the loser would go to work to support the winner to go to the school. When the winner, after completed his studies, must support the loser to go to the school. They tossed a coin after Sunday Mass and Albrecht won the toss and went off to Nuremberg’s Academy to study. Albert went to work in a dangerous mines. Albrecht did become a famous artist after 4 years of studying. Then he went home and said to Albert to go to the school to pursue his dream and he will take of him. Albert tearfully showed Albrecht his hands.
Albrecht painfully saw his brother’s broken fingers. He painstakingly drew and painted “Praying hands” to remember and to honor Albert’s love and sacrifices for him. Albrecht’s “Praying hands” today has been copied millions of times to tell the world a great story of love, sacrifices and gratitude.
Our risen Lord’s wounded hands and feet tells us a great true story of his love. Look at Our Lord’s wounded hands and “do not doubt, but believe” (Jn. 20:27). Then learn do good things with our hands for Him, for his Church and in His name for others. We are not self-made-successful peoples. So remember gratefully the broken hands of our parents, the pioneers of our parish-family and of many others who have feed us, helped and saved us.
Have a blessed week. Fr. Peter Hoan Nguyen.