This hymn expresses the idea that Christians are called to
compassionately
express Christ's love here on earth.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours, Yours are the eyes through which is to look out Christ’s compassion to the world; Yours are the feet with which he is to go about doing good; Yours are the hands with which he is to bless men now.However Teresa did not speak or write English. At the very least, there was one translator involved. Maybe several. The identify of this person, and so the copyright status of the text, is unknown.
To add to the confusion, some people doubt that Teresa wrote anything which expressed the general sentiment at all. Others refer to 19th century writings / sermons by Methodist minister Mark Guy Pearse (1842-1930), and Quaker medical missionary Sarah Elizabeth Rowntree (dates unknown) which express the text as prose in several forms (source).
All that said:
- American Roman Catholic singer-songwriter and monk John Michael Talbot (b. 1954) composed a setting of the text, with only very minor variations, which was first published by Birdwing Music in 1982. Sheet music for this has not been located.
- There are many other settings of the text to different tunes, eg by David Ogham, Steve Warner, Ephrem Feely, Liam - and others. Many version of the sheet music are available - and the tunes vary between composers.
- Some people believe the words have no place in Catholic prayer, because Christ rse again and ascended, and is present in the Eucharist, while others take the text in the context of being sent forth to love and serve the Lord.
Downloads
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Examples
Singer with band, John-Michael Talbot version, professional recording with words on-screen
John-Michael Talbot version, original recording
Singer with backing band, John Michael Talbot version
John Michael Talbot in concert - singer with piano
Liam Lawton version - professional recording
Stephen DeCesare version - professional recording
Steve C Warner / Notre Dame Folk Choir - professional recording
Duet with keyboard and saxophone, live in a church service - Steve C Warner version
Choir with chamber orchestra, professional recording, David Ogden version
David Ogden version - singer with piano, professional recording
Duet with guitar - David Ogden version
Duet with organ + piano/orchestra - words on screen - David Ogden version
Lyrics
John Michael Talbot version
No hands, no feet on earth but yours.
Yours are the eyes through which He looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which He walks to do good.
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.
No hands, no feet on earth but yours
Yours are the eyes through which He looks
Compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth, but yours.
Liam Lawton version
Christ has no body now but yours,
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 but yours.
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good.
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.
No hands, no feet on earth but yours.
Yours are the eyes with which he sees,
Yours are the feet with which he walks,
Yours are the hands with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands.
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 but yours.
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good.
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.
David Odgen version
Christ has no body now but yours,No hands, no feet on earth but yours.
Yours are the eyes with which he sees,
Yours are the feet with which he walks,
Yours are the hands with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands.
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