Hands Of Communion

The story behind this poem: Back in late 1978, our then-minister, Chuck Cox, had read several of my poems and liked my style, so he asked me if I could do a special one for him to read during our next Communion service.

He told me that he had a vision of the hands of different people sharing the Communion feast and asked me to think about this as I was writing the poem.

This poem was written almost a quarter of a century ago (24 years ago, come November 26, 2002), so there might be a part or two that "dates" it (e.g. spoon-rings), but the Message it sends will never go out-of-style!!!

Although I've made a few changes in punctuation--and even fewer changes in wording--to make it read more smoothly, what you'll be reading below is close-to-exactly what the congregation at Colonial UMC heard Chuck read from the pulpit back in 1978.

May it also touch you in a very positive way!!!

HANDS OF COMMUNION

Around the table of our Lord, they gather to partake and pray;
And--for this meditation I--have put their hands upon display,
For sensitivity knows well that each pair has a tale to tell.

Transparent hands with lines of blue
Reach eagerly, although they shake,
To grasp a quite familiar cup
And well-known loaf of bread to break.

Rough hands--a large and small as one--
Are symbols of a toil-worn life
Where hard times didn't kill the joy
Known by the husband and the wife.

Another pair of hands in love--
But one is dark, the other white,
Which seems to shock more than a few,
Though, in their joy, God shows delight.

Smooth hands--no outward wear they show,
For work took place within the mind.
Here at the table of our Lord,
They know that inner-peace they'll find.

On up the arms from some spoon-ringed hands,
Needle-scars tell of a troubled teen
Whose hands once, in a desperate search,
Unearthed II Corinthians 5:17.

For what he thought would bring world peace,
This man a part of him gave up.
With metal hook, he taught himself
To, once again, take bread and cup.

Tiny, velvet hands--too young
To take the bread or grasp the cup,
But they a great example set
By always reaching out and up.

And these are just a chosen few
Of all the hands who share the feast--
And God loves every single pair,
Right from the greatest to the least!