Eleventh Station: Jesus Promises His Kingdom to the Good Thief
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.”
Luke 23: 39-43
We pray:
Lord Jesus, Your love is freely given, but cannot be forced on us. Love must be freely accepted. Here, in Your extreme agony as You take Your last labored breaths, You are still reaching out with love to all who will open themselves to it, especially the least among us. The “Good Thief” is good because he acknowledges his helplessness and sinfulness and reaches toward You for hope; he knows that he is “not good” alone, and reaches out to You, because You are goodness, You are truth, You are love. He accepts Your love, and enters Heaven through the door of Your freely borne wounds. It is Your great love for us that makes sin so offensive and which is the inexhaustible Source of Mercy, which desires to forget every offense, restore us to our original dignity, and fill us with every good thing.
Your goodness and mercy are like water or light, reaching into every space that is open to them, filling every space that is not sealed against them.
All:
Lord, You never fail to repay our slightest efforts toward You, and You repay everything a hundredfold. Give us the grace to acknowledge our own powerlessness, so that we will keep ourselves open to Your healing touch, Your overflowing mercy, Your absolute goodness, and be re-created in your image. Help us to keep our hearts fully open to the glorious light of Your Truth, and the cleansing waters of Your merciful Love, so that we can be fully alive and walk in the freedom of the Spirit Who is Life and Love.
May Your eager forgiveness and infinite mercy help us to acknowledge our weakness and open our hearts to Your Love.
