"Father, into your hands I commit my spirit."
by Rev. Fr. Viel Bautista
Last 17th of March 2024, our family welcomed the newest member of our blood in the person of my nephew, Rome Ioseffus, Rio as we call him. He is the son of my brother and his wife.
Well, one amazes and rejoices in the presence of a new-born child. His smiles, jiggles, and joys were so priceless to us. But now that he has turned a year old, we see some growth patterns happening to him. He can now, by glimpse, say some words, his hand clapping, his expressions, and most of all his walking. It is pure joy to see him walk. But then, this is something new for Rio. We can see that his feet and legs would shake when he attempts to walk. He balances himself when he wishes to do so and walk. But, what is notable with him was his way of seeking help when he falls down or sits after attempting to walk. Thanks to my brother and sister-in-law for always holding his hands, raising him, and letting him walk again. For most of the time, they would be near him, holding him so that he can walk. After holding him, there will be a series of times that he can walk alone (at least for some meters), and then, would need the hands of his mom or dad or to whomever is close to him.
At the very pinnacle of Jesus’ suffering, he entrusted his life to his Father: “Into your hands, I commend my spirit.” Up until the very last, Jesus taught us to hold on to God. Even amid dying, Jesus never left the hands of the Lord and would continue to entrust his life to his loving Father. Though he can freely do things, never will he do such alone. All he needs always are the hands of Abba. He walked all along in this world but never out of the hands of his Father.
But, trying to see this prayer of Jesus commending his life to the hands of his father, is a sign of hope. When holding on to God’s hands, we place all our hope in him. When Rio is trying his best to walk, when he holds the hands of his mom and dad, of his lolo and lola, of his aunts and uncles, he is as if telling us: I place my hands on you. With your hands, I can do better. With your hands, I can see my beautiful life ahead. With your hands, I can hope for a better “me.”
Nothing in the life of Jesus was apart from the hands of his Father, apart from the hope from his Father. When he healed the sick, he was holding his Father’s hands, he drew hope from these hands. When he was teaching his people, he was holding his Father’s hands, he drew hope from these hands. When he was doing all sorts of miracles, he was holding his Father’s hands, he drew hope from these hands. When he was facing life’s misery with his apostles, he was holding his Father’s hands, he drew hope from these hands. When Jesus holds on to his Father’s hands, he hopes. In holding, there is hoping. May pag-asa sa pagkapit.
This is precisely a good reminder to all of us: if we still commend our life to God’s hand and hope in God’s hand? Conflicts around us may just say that we’ve been holding on to our own hands and hoping all by ourselves, ergo, the war and the injustices. The almost three years of pandemic tested how we have commended our life to this hand and hoped from these hands. With the global phenomena of climate change and crisis on weather and environment, we might be seeing ourselves not anymore holding to God’s hands, hoping in God’s hands, but by being the hand that manipulates and even scrapes environmental dignity. These crises opened our eyes that we might be holding our hands or other’s hands too much that we do not anymore commend our lives to God. We’ve been holding our hands and have hoped less. But now, it is time to hold God’s hands, commend our lives to him, and hope in him.
At the point of death, Jesus expressed that “all my life, I need your hands, I hope in your hands.” Jesus passed over death to life because he held on to God’s hands, he hoped in God’s hands.
If we wish to see our own Paschal Mystery, our own Passover, our own Easter, our own healing, our New Life, be ready to keep on holding to God and hoping in God.
Prayer:
Father, into your hands, we commend our life. Never let us be far from these hands that love and give hope. Without and far from these hands, we are sure to fail, we are sure to despair. With trust, let us continue holding on to you and hoping on to you. Amen.
Rev. Fr. Vicente Gabriel S.J. Bautista, Fr. Viel, as he is fondly called, is a priest of the Archdiocese of Manila. Ordained to the Priesthood by Jose F. Cardinal Advincula on December 3, 2022. He is now the Vice Rector of the Metropolitan Manila Cathedral – Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, Intramuros, Manila.