Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne
Jesus, Remember Me in Your Kingdom
Brethren, on this Sunday we celebrate the solemnity of Christ the King of the whole universe. This feast marks the last Sunday of the liturgical year. We have also, in the gospel reading come to the end of Jesus’ long journey to Jerusalem as he dies on the cross. This Sunday opens us a way for the season of advent. Next Sunday is the first Sunday of advent. This Sunday also invites us to always recognize Christ as the King of all the universe, heaven and earth, and imitating the example of the good thief in today's gospel, to always pray, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." Pilate had recognized Jesus as the King of the Jews as he wrote it in top of his cross, but this good thief recognized Jesus more than a king of the earth, but the King of heaven and earth.
As Jesus was crucified on the cross alongside two criminals who were thieves, one mocked him for his claim to divine kingship. But the other thief recognized through the eyes of faith that Jesus was truly God's Anointed King and Savior. He petitioned Jesus to treat his poor soul with mercy and pardon, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom" (Luke 23:42). Jesus not only granted him forgiveness, but a place with him in his everlasting kingdom. "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."
The "today" that Jesus addresses to the repentant criminal whom we know as the Good Thief, belongs to every age. Whenever a person turns to Jesus, and says with love, "Jesus, remember me" (Lk 23:42), he or she begins a new "today". Jesus so much wants us to be with him in Paradise that he confides to his priests a ministry of forgiveness. The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation provides a unique experience of the "today". The Catholic whom sin has separated from communion with God and the Church is reconciled to the company of those who await with hopeful confidence the reward of Paradise. No one knows the sins that the Good Thief had committed. No one should care. All that matters in life is that we discover our own "today" of divine forgiveness.
What a merciful king, Jesus is. As St. Ambrose comments: “The Lord always grants more than one asks: the thief only asked him to remember him, but the Lord says to him, ‘Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.’ Life consists in dwelling with Jesus Christ, and where Jesus Christ is there is his Kingdom.” As soon as we give God the chance, he remembers us. He is ready to completely and forever cancel our sin, because his memory – unlike our own – does not record evil that has been done or keep score of injustices experienced. God has no memory of sin, but only of us, of each of us, we who are his beloved children. And he believes that it is always possible to start anew, to raise ourselves up.
"Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom" is not just a mere prayer but also a recognition that Jesus' kingdom is not of this world; indeed, Jesus was to go to his eternal kingdom in heaven, where he would come back on the last day and take all who repent like the good thief and those who have prepared to live in by doing the will of God, and then take us with him to reign with him forever. Jesus' Kingdom is not of this world, but this world was significant for his mission.
Todays' gospel presents this aspect of Jesus' kingship clearly. Jesus’ reign is truly not of this world (cf. Jn 18:36), for he would not be humiliated at the cross like he was if his kingship was of this world. The kingship of Jesus as presented by the gospel and as Pope Francis says, is the culmination of his saving work. “The Christ of God, the Chosen One, the King” (Lk 23:35,37) appears without power or glory: he is on the cross, where he seems more to be conquered than conqueror. His kingship is paradoxical: his throne is the cross; his crown is made of thorns; he has no scepter, but a reed is put into his hand; he does not have luxurious clothing but is stripped of his tunic; he wears no shiny rings on his fingers, but his hands are pierced with nails; he has no treasure but is sold for thirty pieces of silver." He is humiliated by everyone: the people standing far apart, the rulers of the earth, the soldiers, the bad thief; it was only the good thief who recognized Jesus' kingship despite Jesus being in the cross alongside him. Are you ashamed to have a crucified king? Remember it was his cross that he won the crown of glory to be the king of the whole universe.
The kingship of Jesus is therefore so radically different from the worldly understanding of kingship that this is probably why Jesus slipped away whenever people tried to forcibly declare him king. All things are created through him and for him but, showing the depth of his Father’s love, Jesus pre-eminently demonstrated his kingship through his suffering and death – not by being served. Jesus bore witness to the truth, the Father’s love for us. The face of the father’s love, Jesus emptied himself (kenosis) and became a servant-king, giving up everything in order that we may gain everything; he died so that we might live. As the new representative of humanity (acquired through his incarnation), Jesus undid the failure of our first representative Adam, to lead us from death to new life: adoption as sons and daughters of God. This is why Jesus came to this world though his Kingdom was not of this World. He wanted to open for us a way to enter his kingdom after we leave this world.
The reign proclaimed by Jesus Christ does present a challenge to the powers and principalities of this world. It proclaims that what matters is not wealth or power or success, but rather “the least of these,” the poor and the oppressed, the destitute and downcast. And it proclaims that Christ’s kingdom comes not in a blaze of glory or the destruction of its enemies, but in love and peace. Our King went to the ends of the universe in order to embrace and save every living being. He did not condemn us, nor did he conquer us, and he never disregarded our freedom, but he paved the way with a humble love that forgives all things, hopes all things, sustains all things (cf. 1 Cor 13:7). This love alone overcame and continues to overcome our worst enemies: sin, death, fear. While this type of kingdom may not make sense to many, we Christians rejoice in entering into this eternal kingdom of eternal peace, love and happiness and are always proud to confess Jesus as our eternal King, the King of the Universe, the Head of his Church here earth.
Confessing Christ as King is confessing, above all, that our primary allegiance and commitment is to God in heaven, not to anything in this world, whether it be a nation, our family, fame or fortune. To confess Christ as king, means that we seek to live as he lived, to give ourselves in service to human and to our fellow humans. To confess Christ as king commits us to seeking to realize his values, his message, his love in the world. Only then can we, with the criminal on the cross, plead, “Jesus, remember me, when you come into your kingdom.”
Let us Pray
Almighty ever-living God, whose will is to restore all things in your beloved Son, the King of the universe; grant, we pray, that the whole creation, set free from slavery, may render your majesty service and ceaselessly proclaim your praise. Amen
Be blessed
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