Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 23, 35-43
The rulers sneered at Jesus and said, “He saved others, let him save himself if he is the chosen one, the Messiah of God.”
Even the soldiers jeered at him. As they approached to offer him wine
they called out, “If you are King of the Jews, save yourself.”
Above him there was an inscription that read, “This is the King of the Jews.”
Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us.”
The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply, “Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation?
And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done nothing criminal.”
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
He replied to him, “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
King of the Universe
1) Mockery. Everyone suffers mockery and humiliation in life at one time or another, even Jesus. Seeing Jesus suffer should strengthen us and prepare us to resist. Today, we live in a world where everything and everyone is ridiculed, even the Church. We are mocked, and quite a lot, I must say. But we may also suffer mockery in our daily life, and many times, we are the ones who sneer at others or humiliate them. Let us be kind to others, in our manners and interaction. This Sunday, I propose we think about how we treat those we meet. Are we kind and respectful or do we think we are superior?
2) INRI. The letters “INRI” are initials for the Latin translation of Pilate’s charge, Iesus Nazarenus, Rex Iudaeorum and they mean “Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews”. In the most painful moment of Jesus’s life, His identity has been clearly marked. In your hardest and saddest moments, never forget who you are; that is the key to overcoming even the hardest pain: remembering who you are. Do not let anyone take away your identity and your authenticity. Always remember what you are in this life for and who you are. It is also good to have someone by your side to remind you. I’ll give you the sign: “You are most valuable to God”.
3) The Glory. So immense is God’s love that even a thief has a pass to Heaven. God’s power is called “mercy”, not submission. God seeks your salvation until the last moment. JESUS IS KING and his reign is mercy, you and I are his most valuable possessions.
God bless you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Never forget that Heaven is our goal.
