Daily Meditation for December 26, 2025

“Clap your hands, all you peoples” (Ps. 47:1) In many prayer settings, hands are not only clapped, but they are raised in praise of God. People at prayer sit with hands open, a gesture of readiness to receive. A child throws his hands wide and runs toward a beloved grandparent eager to be embraced. Hands talk. They speak volumes of how life has been lived: Some hands are calloused, rough-skinned; others are smooth-skinned with perfect nails. Psalm 134:2 encourages us to “Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and bless the Lord.” Let us also become aware of nature’s joyful response to God’s love: “The mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands” (Isaiah 55:12). As we go through our day today, paying attention to how we use our hands can become a meditation in and of itself.

By Dianne Schlichting, OblSB

Photo by Jeremy Yap on Unsplash