Gospel Lectio Divina for The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe - November 20, 2022
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth.
O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations, Through Christ Our Lord, Amen.
The rulers sneered at Jesus and said, "He saved others, let him save himself if he is the chosen one, the Christ of God." Even the soldiers jeered at him. As they approached to offer him wine they called out, "If you are King of the Jews, save yourself." Above him there was an inscription that read, "This is the King of the Jews."
Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying, "Are you not the Christ? 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."
MEDITATE
"This is the King of the Jews."
In the First Reading from 2 Samuel, we read about the appointing of David as king of Israel. The kingdom divided under his grandson Rehoboam, creating the Kingdoms of Judea and Israel, later called Samaria. About 1,000 years later, Herod the Great claimed to be king of Judea. But who was the real king? Herod was a Roman citizen and was not a descendent of David. The Jews were waiting for their real king, who would be a “Son of David” or a true descendent, not like Herod. Joseph was a descendent of David, and therefore Jesus–raised in Joseph’s house–was seen by many to be the rightful king.
Many people would disagree though, especially those who favored Roman rule. Of all the supposed blasphemies Jesus spoke, and despite the whole reason the religious leaders brought Jesus to trial, the crime that would lead to Jesus’ crucifixion was the claim that he was a king. This was a challenge to Roman authorities, so they had to make an example of him.
We must not forget, King Herod also had a formidable claim to the throne. He started the reconstruction of the Second Temple, and completed several other massive construction projects throughout Judea. He was favored by Julius Caesar due to his family’s good standing in Roman society. Moreover, even though he was a Roman citizen, his ancestors had converted to Judaism. Those Jews who liked the structure and power provided by Roman civilization probably would have supported Herod as commander of Judea, and may have even been angry when people claimed that Jesus was the rightful king.
However, there is an element missing in Herod’s reign. The ancient texts of the Jewish people, his people, had prophecies that provided specifics about the coming of the Messiah. The Old Testament’s prophets said where the Messiah would be born, Bethlehem (Micah 5:2), what house he would be born to–the House of David–and how he would be born–of a virgin (Isaiah 7). It’s kind of tough to argue with that.
"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."
These words are partly a rebuke of the other criminal, and partly a confession. The Good Thief is admitting his guilt. When he says he has been “condemned justly” he is admitting that he was wrong in being a thief. It’s easy to think that merely defending Jesus is enough for Jesus to grant his request to enter the kingdom of heaven, but his penitent heart is just as important. It’s not enough to call Jesus “Lord”.
"Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
One of my favorite church hymns is the one that just repeats this line of the Good Thief. He may have been a criminal, but his petition is common. When we come to Jesus, this should be all we want; for him to remember his love for us despite all we have done and to welcome us. Repentance is vital, though. If the thief had not repented the moment before, Jesus’ answer would have been very different. “Remember me”, then, is the Good Thief’s petition for Jesus to remember the good he has done, to remember the parts of him that are still innocent and pure. If God counted our guilt, and weighed it against our goodness, none of us would stand a chance when it comes to getting to heaven. But we all have that desire, that initial seed that still longs for God and for goodness. We all still want to be remembered for that. We all desire good. We want to be seen as good people, and we want good to be done for us. The problem is, despite the universal desire for goodness, none of us truly are good. Ultimately, this serves as evidence for the existence of God because we cannot desire something that does not exist. We all desire pure goodness, but cannot find it anywhere in this world. This is because only God is purely God and he exists outside of this world.
today you will be with me in Paradise
But shouldn’t he go through purgatory first? That thought comes to mind. Yes, he confessed his sin and proclaimed Jesus as king of heaven. But he is a thief.
The Good Thief’s story is one that shows the purifying mercy of God. There was no time for him to sin again. He received forgiveness with his last breaths, so he did indeed go straight to paradise. The Church’s teaching about the afterlife is consistent with Jesus’ words, as it should be.
PRAY
Jesus,
Remember me when you come into your kingdom. In your holy name, I pray. Amen.
LISTEN
I will listen to Jesus’ words of mercy and forgiveness. I will move on from my sinful past and into my future with him where paradise is in store.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
David Kilby is a freelance writer from New Jersey. He received his undergrad degree in humanities and Catholic culture from the Franciscan University of Steubenville. In addition to working with the Knights of the Holy Eucharist (knights.org), he has served as a journalist for Princeton Packet Publications, and the Trenton Monitor, the magazine for the Diocese of Trenton. Some of his published work can also be found in St. Anthony Messenger, Catholic Herald (UK), and Catholic World Report. For the latter he is managing editor. Find more of his writing at ramblingspirit.com.