Share this page"Christ Has No Body But Yours"
- Details
- Published on Saturday, 20 August 2016 15:59
- Written by Stanton O. Berg
“CHRIST HAS NO BODY BUT YOURS”
(Saint Teresa of Avila , 1515-1582)
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“Christ has no body but yours.
No hands, no feet on earth but yours.
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
...Compassion on this world.
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good.
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Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Christ has no body now but yours.
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No hands, no feet on earth but yours.
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
...compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.
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(See Notes below on authorship of his poem...)
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Stan's Comments
“Christ Has No Body But Yours”...who really was the author of this famous line and poem, often attributed to Saint Teresa of Avila.
My research shows that while Saint Teresa is thought to be the author, she is in all probability not the author...this poem was never found among her writings...Saint Teresa’s name has never appeared on the poem, nor has she ever claimed authorship...research shows all of her publications contain Saint Teresa’s name and date and a subject title on them.
Saint Teresa died on 4 October 1582 at the age of 67 years at Alba de Tormes, Spain.... I would assume that her popularity as a Christian writer in this time period and her patronage to sickness and sick persons had much to do with the association of this poem with her authorship...
Teresa was noted for her patronage to sickness, sick people and bodily ills. She was a prominent Roman Catholic Saint, Carmelite Nun and author.
This beautiful poem is more likely to have been the penmanship of some pastor or reverend for a Sunday morning sermon...the fact that the Christian Bible has a reference that is very closely associated with these writings, suggests that this is the probable source of this beautiful poem.
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The following is quoted from 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 KJV: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ...Who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble with the comfort with which we our selves are comforted by God"
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While there are those few among us for which Care-giving is just a job, there are many other Caregivers who truly display an “Unconditional Love”...this poem describes such a level of Care-giving...a level truly commissioned by God...such caregivers as described in this poem are truly “Christ’s Body” here on earth...God's Arms, His Hands, His Feet...
These words, now several centuries old, describe many of our current husband and wife and our family caregivers in a very special way...as “Christ’s Body” here on earth...
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Stan's Note: (11/2020) Page first created (8/2016) Approx, 6,500 persons have since visited the page!
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Reader's Comments
James Denton - Pana, Illinois - (21 August 2016): "Thank you Stan, beautiful story..."
Jackie Irving - Liverpool, United Kingdom - (21 August 2016): "It's so beautiful Stan I love it ...I love my mum so dearly and would do anything for her just as I know you did everything out of your deep love for June ...thank you for a lovely thoughtful post ...god bless."
Jane Jackman- Ringwood, United Kingdom - (22 August 2016): "Thought Provoking!... read this over and over. So full of meaning. I love it. Thank you for sharing it Stanton!"
Sabrina Harris McBride - Arlington, Texas - (2 September 2016): "Thank you... Needed this today as it is the one year anniversary of my Mom's death and would have been her 80th Birthday"
Gil Fewings - Plymouth, United Kingdom - (3 September 2016):"I do love this idea that every one of can be part of making a better and more compassionate world - and we can all start making that world right now..."
Louise Ann Howard - Batemans Bay, New South Wales, Australia - (3 September 2016): "lovely story My Mr Stan. It is so true, God does a lot if work using us. We are meant to be His dwelling place, walk and talk His Will. thanks again my dear mate."
Peri Plantz-Holladay - Sacramento, California - (3 September 2016): "Oh what a wonderful story this is ! I agree, one can read it over and over. lovely weekend to you Stan!"
Ena Castle - Brisbane, Australia - (21 September 2016):"It is a beautiful poem. If you think of yourself as you read then all it conveys is true .Thank you Stanton. Ena."
Peri Plantz-Holladay - Sacramento, California - (21 September 2016): "Either way the message reaches many and is beautiful. Thank you for sharing Stan. Have a wonderful week."
Caroline Elizabeth - Nottingham, United Kingdom -(22 September 2016):"Beautiful Stan love all your posts, thinking of you always ..."
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June's Passing
After an almost 12 year journey into the shadows of Alzheimer's, early one morning in late October 2008, an exhausted June felt God's gentle touch on her shoulder and heard the words: "Come Home June!" As June lay like a wounded soldier on a battlefield, it was God's Angels that ushered June into a Heavenly Kingdom to the sound of a chorus of Angels...and into June's new home, a "Mansion on the Hilltop", where there is no pain, nor illness nor tears...June's funeral notice as published in the Minneapolis Star in October 2008 can be seen on this website in the drop down menu under the "In Memoriam" label - just Click on:
"June K. (Rolstad) Berg - In Memoriam"