Commend

July 6, 2009
Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit."
Lk 23:46

The commentary intimated that Jesus knew his death was approaching and so quoted part of Psalm 31, "Into your hands I commend my spirit, for you have redeemed me, O God of truth." For me, this is a very powerful moment in scripture and in the Christian tradition. Whole books have been written on this topic.

I consider this verse a reminder to continually commend my spirit into God's hands. I am aware that I often place my spirit into the hands of the patients who chose not to be visited by a chaplain today, or into the hands of my relatives who might be in a bad mood, or even into the hands of the driver who cuts me off on the freeway.

I don't have to wait for my funeral to commend my spirit into God's hands. I can do that right now, in this moment.

Into whose hands do you commend your spirit, in this moment?