16th Week of OT 2020 - Tuesday - He stretched out his hands

There is a beautiful line in the proper preface for the second Eucharistic prayer that has struck me the last few days. After speaking of the Incarnation of the Lord, the preface states: “Fulfilling your will and gaining for you a holy people, he stretched out his hands as he endured his Passion”. He stretched out his hands. We find that powerful image of the Lord stretching out his hands several times throughout the Gospels.

The Lord stretches out his hands and touches a leper, in order to cleanse him. Remember when Peter, commanded by the Lord to walk on the water, begins to doubt and starts to sink? The Lord stretches out his hand to Peter, to save Peter the rock from sinking.

When Jesus, in the Gospel today, proclaimed “those who do the will of the heavenly Father” to be his “mothers, and sisters and brothers”, did you notice what he did with his hands? He “stretched out his hands”.

Extending the hands is a beautiful gesture depicted often in the scriptures. Psalm 144 asks God to stretch forth his hand from on high to rescue us and save us. While Isaiah speaks of God stretching forth his hand over all the nations to fulfill his plan of salvation.  Moses is even commanded by God to stretch out his hands over the red sea, that the Hebrew slaves might be delivered safely from their Egyptian captors.

Extending a hand, is a gesture of healing, a gesture of saving, and in the sense of today’s Gospel, a gesture of incorporating.

This gesture is used quite often in the most sacred liturgical prayers of the Church.  The priest stretches his hands over the bread and wine, calling down the Holy Spirit over the gifts which have been placed on the altar.  He stretches his hands over the water of the baptismal font and calls down the holy spirit as he blesses water for baptism.  Though you often can’t see it, as the priest prays the prayer of absolution in the sacrament of confession, he stretches out his hand to the penitent. Again, the priest stretches out his hand over the sick and the dying in the sacrament of anointing.

The bishop stretches his hands over those he is about to confirm. And, he does the same at sacred ordination, stretching out his hands over those men he is ordaining deacons or priests.

In a sense, bride and groom stretch out their hands to each other, they join hands as they exchange the vows in which God joins them as one.

This gesture in all seven sacraments show us that God does indeed save us, heal us, unite us.

And really, in God, those three actions, saving, healing, uniting, are one. To the extent that we are united to God, we are saved and healed.  Because Jesus stretched his hands out on the cross, we are able to be saved and incorporated into the very life of God.

We thank God today for stretching out his hands to his, inviting us, blessing us, and healing us, that we may walk as disciples of the Lord and stretch out our hands to those in need, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That Christians may be a sign for the world of God’s boundless mercy, by striving to practice Christian virtue in every circumstance.

For the conversion of hearts hardened to the Gospel, for those who have fallen away from the Church, for non-believers and unrepentant sinners, and that Christians may be attentive to our responsibility of sharing the Gospel with all.

For all those who suffer from violence, war, famine, extreme poverty, addiction, discouragement, loneliness, and those who are alienated from their families.  May they know God’s mercy and be gathered to the eternal kingdom of peace. 

For all those who suffer illness, and those in hospitals, nursing homes and hospice care, that they may be comforted by the healing light of Christ. 

For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, the deceased members of our families friends and parishes, for those who fought and died for our freedom, and N. for whom this Mass is offered.


Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord