Opening Prayer

Lord, grant that I may see you more clearly,
love you more dearly, and follow you more nearly,
day by day.

Scripture

Luke 23:35-43

And the people stood by watching, but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!” The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.”
One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come in your kingdom.” He replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Reflection

Jesus’ crucifixion, a moment of utter degradation and physical torment, paradoxically stands as the most glorious moment of His life. Stripped of dignity and mocked by onlookers, Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice on the cross reveals the depth of His love and the true nature of His Kingship. True glory and strength often emerge through suffering and self-sacrifice. By embracing our own trials with faith and love, we can participate in Christ’s sacrifice and witness the profound beauty that can arise from moments of profound vulnerability.

The repentant criminal’s plea, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom,” and Jesus’ immediate promise of paradise illustrate the boundless mercy and grace available to all who turn to Him with a sincere heart. No past sin or failure can separate us from God’s love if we approach Him with genuine repentance. Jesus’ ability to see beyond the criminal’s past to the repentant individual before Him encourages us to seek and extend forgiveness, recognising the transformative power of mercy in our own lives and in the lives of others.

Contemplation

I take a few moments to imagine the scene from the Gospel story I just read. I let the words come alive in my heart. I visualise the event as if I was there and part of the story. I pay attention to all the details, the sights, the sounds, the tastes, the smells, and the feelings of the event. I imagine myself as one of the characters in the scene or as myself present in the story. What message does Jesus have for me? How is God speaking to me personally through this story? I open my heart to the prompting of the Holy Spirit.

Thanksgiving

I ask God, the Father, to give me an intimate knowledge of the many gifts I have received,
so that filled with gratitude for all, I may in all things love and serve the Divine Majesty.

Fellow Pilgrims

If I should become sick and unable to work, then I shall be like the Lord on the cross. He will have mercy on me and help me, I am sure.

– Saint Kateri Tekakwitha

Closing Prayer

Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Amen.