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 Christ 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 Christ?
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 at some point in life, even Jesus. Witnessing Jesus endure mockery should encourage us to stand strong and persevere. Today, we live in a society where mocking and ridiculing others—even the Church—is common. We are mocked, and quite a lot, I must say. Many of us experience this in our daily lives, and sometimes, we are the ones who ridicule or belittle others. Let us strive to be considerate and gentle in our words and actions. This Sunday, let’s reflect on how we treat those around us. Do we show kindness and respect, or do we act as if we were better than others?
2. INRI. The letters “INRI” stands for the Latin phrase of Pilate’s charge, Iesus Nazarenus, Rex Iudaeorum, meaning “Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews”. In Jesus’s most agonizing moment, His true identity was openly declared. During your most difficult times, remember who you are. The key to overcoming pain and hardship is holding onto your identity. Don’t allow anyone to strip away your sense of self or your authenticity. Always remember your purpose and who you are meant to be. It helps to have someone by your side to remind you as well. Let me be that reminder: “You are precious to God.”
3. The Glory. God’s love is so vast that even a thief is welcomed into Heaven. God’s greatness is expressed through mercy, not domination or the pursuit for submission. God seeks your salvation until the very end. JESUS IS KING and and his kingdom is defined by mercy—each one of us is cherished by Him, we are his most valuable possessions.
We desire for Christ to dwell in many hearts and to reign, because His kingdom brings peace. Praise be to the Lord Jesus Christ!
Remember that something good is on the way!
May God Almighty bless you, be with you and protect you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
