He shows Jesus speaking warmly to the disciples at the Last Supper: ‘You are those who have stood by me in my trials. And I confer on you a kingdom…’ He also speaks of Peter’s future role: ‘…when once you have turned back, strengthen your brothers’. Furthermore, Luke has little interest in the disciples’ abandonment and states that, ‘…all his acquaintances… who had followed him from Galilee…’ witnessed Jesus’ death. During the journey to Calvary, he records the women of Jerusalem weeping for him and Jesus’ prayer to the Father for those who will crucify him: ‘Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing’.
As with the above examples, Jesus’ encounter with the good thief is only recorded in Luke’s Gospel. Genius storyteller that he was he’s always interested in showing how Jesus reaches out to the lost, especially sinners. Jesus’ promise to the good thief is something of a climax. It’s Jesus’ last act of kindness before he commends his spirit to the Father. ‘…today you will be with me in Paradise’. Through this, Jesus offers once more the ‘today’ of salvation.
We read this passage on the Solemnity of Christ the King because the kingship of Jesus is seen in his reaching out to the lost. Jesus’ kingdom, to quote the Gospel of John, is ‘not of this world’. Instead, it’s the kingdom of God where peace and mercy reign, not an earthly kingdom which can be fought over in war and violence. Jesus has come to ‘bring good news to the poor’, and to seek and…save the lost.’
St Cyril of Alexandria wrote: ‘How wise the reasoning and how excellent the thoughts of the penitent thief! He became the confessor of the Saviour’s glory and the accuser of the pride of those who crucified him. Let us look at his most beautiful confession of faith. He says: “Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom.” You see him crucified and call him a king.
