As part of Lent and in the lead up to the Easter weekend, we’ll take a look at some of the Seven Last Words of Christ, and their significance for us today.

“Today you will be with me in Paradise.”

The scene is a familiar one to many of us. Jesus, along with two criminals, is being crucified in the Roman custom on a hill outside Jerusalem.

³⁹ One of the criminals hanging there also insulted Jesus by saying, “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and save us!”

⁴⁰ But the other criminal told the first one off, “Don’t you fear God? Aren’t you getting the same punishment as this man? ⁴¹ We got what was coming to us, but he didn’t do anything wrong.” ⁴² Then he said to Jesus, “Remember me when you come into power!”

⁴³ Jesus replied, “I promise that today you will be with me in paradise.”

Luke 23:39-43

Jesus’ response to the second criminal might conjure up a number of reactions from us. Do we find it surprising? Wonderful? Perhaps unfair? If this man really was a criminal, Jesus’ promise to him seems not quite right to me. My reaction is that it’s not quite fair. His many sins were forgiven in an instant, and he was immediately welcomed into God’s Kingdom.

I wonder, when I react like this, if maybe instead of looking down on this man, I should put myself in his shoes. Even if the ‘crimes’ I’ve committed might be only a lie here, or a bit of greed there; I wonder if I would turn to Jesus and say, ‘remember me’. As we look at Jesus on the cross this Easter, perhaps it’s our chance to turn to him and acknowledge our shortcomings, and to put ourselves in this scene.

I think that for any who turn to him, Jesus has the same welcome; the same promise. Today you will be with me. And he will!

Isaac Williams
Assistant Chaplain – Wyvern House