Hands of Hope

Hands of Hope

         World War II ravaged the Italian homeland without respect to city, village or country-side. The broken walls of the buildings within the villages all assumed the same jagged appearance. When in a destroyed state, rubble is rubble, no matter the name of the village. Within this devastation there was great loss. Secondary only to the loss of life was the loss of homes, businesses, and places of worship. Particularly hard hit was the little village of Lorentino. The American army assaulted the tiny village and repelled the German army. In turn the German army unsuccessfully counter attacked the American army. As a result, both armies contributed to the destruction of the village when hostilities eventually concluded.

         Out of the rubble of war, the townspeople began to restore a semblance of normality, rebuilding each others' homes and restoring services to the shops and trade places of their little village. With similar care and resolve they worked together to rebuild their church. They found solace within these walls when liberators, as well as invaders, fought for control of their tiny village. In times of peace they worshiped, took communion, said their vows of marriage, and baptized their children in that church. It was an essential part of existence in the village of Lorentino. Therefore, with love, tenderness, and devotion they set about to rebuild its broken walls and replace its damaged treasures, among which was a statue of Jesus with outstretched arms.

         Prior to the hostilities of war, the statue, which was larger than life, graced the courtyard of the church. It presented a loving and compassionate Master who accepted all who entered into the sanctuary of the courtyard with outstretched arms and open hands. The warmth and tenderness captured by the sculptor was confirmed by resident and stranger alike. One could not enter the sanctuary of the building without first being greeted and welcomed by the silent and comforting statue of the Savior Shepherd, waiting for them in the courtyard. Lorentino was particularly proud of the acclaim the statue acquired in the neighboring villages. Their affection for the statue was apparent by the care they took in maintaining its surface and grooming the adjacent landscaped area.

         The news of the damage to the statue traveled quickly on the day the shells fell on the church and the courtyard. As a result of the shelling, the roof of the little church was reduced to rubble. The beautiful stained glass windows on the east wall were lost along with half of the wall itself, and much of the structure burned. As the townspeople labored to save their building, on that fateful night, they were saddened to find their statue had also received damage. Although it still stood erect and welcomed those entering the courtyard, both of the hands on the outstretched arms were destroyed. Efforts to find the broken pieces in the rubble were unsuccessful. The open and comforting hands of the Savior Shepherd were either totally destroyed or lost, which was devastating to the villagers. Their only consolation was the majority of the statue remained intact.

         Years passed and the statue remained in its damaged condition. It still stood welcoming, with outstretched arms, all who entered the courtyard. But, it did so with arms which had no hands. As soon as hostilities ceased, the townspeople determined to restore the statue to its previous condition with its hands turned outward to receive and comfort those who passed near. A committee was formed to search for a sculptor who could accomplish this task for them. They were filled with confidence that the land of Michelangelo, Da Vinci, and Botticelli would surely have skilled artisans who would be up to the task of restoring the statute. Cost was no barrier; for they were willing to pay whatever the cost for the restoration.

         With confidence in their hearts, they sent inquiries to the major art galleries throughout the land. They contacted libraries and public art institutions to spread the word that an urgent call for skilled sculptors was extended. Their inquiries were rewarded. A host of artists, touting their talents and promising satisfaction, descended on the little village with resumes and portfolios. The committee interviewed each and every one. In due time it became apparent that, even among the talented artisans of Italy, the special expressive talent required to restore the lost hands could not to be found. They conceded the sculptors who offered their services were indeed talented artists. However, none of the proposals, which all came with drawings and preliminary models, could speak to their hearts or meet their expectations. The proposed hands were good representations of hands. However, the location of a finger, the bend of the hand, or the relationship of the integral parts of the hand simply did not express the emotion or character they were seeking. Who would ever have thought the sculpted hand would be so difficult?

         Months passed without finding a sculptor equal to the task. The months turned into years. Committee members came and went; yet, their fervor and their resolve faltered little. They maintained the high standard originally set with the first committee in the beginning of their quest. Fewer artists were interviewed; because, by that time, any sculptor who was worthy had already been considered. The committee continued to meet to discuss the direction of their search. They did not meet as often, but they did meet on a regular basis. The procedure they established for these meetings, over the long period of their quest, always began with the same ritual. They would first meet at the base of the statue for a moment of prayer, and then they would assemble within the confines of the church to conduct their business.

         The committee was scheduled to meet on one particularly cold November evening. No real progress had been accomplished. The purpose of the meeting was to re-establish direction for their search. As the chairman of the committee neared the courtyard, with the other members already waiting, he sensed an air of excitement among his colleagues.

         “Carlo, what is it that has your fervor raised to such a high state, my friend?” asked Santino, the chairman of the committee.

         “Santino, it is beyond description. You must see this for yourself. It is a truly amazing thing which has happened.” Carlo responded with unsupressed excitement.

         They approached the committee members huddled around the base of the statue. The ranks parted as Santino and Carlo neared the statue. Santino visually inspected the statue to find the cause of this excitement. At first he saw nothing changed in the statue. The arms were still outstretched and the hands were still missing. But, then he saw it. At the base of the statue was a small wooden sign, on which a message had been etched in the wood and painted with a dark accent color.

         The sign read, “Non ho mani, ma le sue mani.” He let the message absorb into his mind. Then he let it find its way into his heart -- the wonder of it. He knew their quest was ended. He considered the many months of attention they spent on the search for a sculptor to restore their statue. He considered all the dedication and commitment the villagers gave to restore the grounds and buildings of the church. He considered the love freely shared as they helped each other rebuild their homes and re-establish their lives after the great conflict they endured together. And, then he knew the true message of the statue was found inscribed in the simple wooden sign which said, “I have no hands, but your hands.”

         If you are traveling through the fertile and restored countryside of Italy today and pass through the village of Lorentino, stop at the church located on the edge of the village. As you walk through the courtyard leading to the church building, you will pass by a statue of Jesus standing with outstretched arms, welcoming you to this sanctuary. Today, it has no hands. But, it does have a little wooden sign which is weathered and a little tattered. Its message is a testimony to the true message of the Savior Shepherd. It beckons all who will take the time to understand, that it is up to all of us to be His hands; for He truly has no hands but our hands.