Jesus, Remember Me

Jesus, Remember Me

Lk 23; 25 -43

Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ

King of the Universe

Introduction

Today’s reading is about the crucifixion of Jesus according to Luke. Here, we see what kind of king Jesus really is. He is not a king like the kings of this world. He is a king who is crucified yet merciful and compassionate even in the midst of insults and hostilities.

The Gospel

³⁵ 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!” ³⁶ The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, ³⁷ and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” ³⁸ There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.”
³⁹ One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” ⁴⁰ But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? ⁴¹ And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.” ⁴² Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” ⁴³ He replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

Reflection

Today is the last Sunday of the Liturgical Year. This Sunday formally ends the current liturgical year and ushers in the beginning of the new liturgical year which begins with the season of Advent. The last Sunday of every liturgical year is always dedicated to the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. This is just a fitting solemnity for Jesus who will return as King of the universe at the end of time.

Our reading, however, qualifies for us the meaning of the word “ King” especially when it describes Jesus as king. Jesus is not a king who is likened to the kings of this world. He is, however, a king, who is crucified on the cross and whose kindness, compassion and mercy radiates magnificently even while horribly suffering a cruel death.

In today’s reading, we hear of Jesus’ crucifixion according to the gospel of Luke. For most of Luke’s account, the crucified Jesus is jeered and mocked at by everyone else except for one of the criminals who was crucified with him. Luke portrays to us a forgiving Jesus in the midst of hostilities. The crowd present at the crucifixion did not spare mean and nasty words when it came to insulting and mocking Jesus.

The first of these insults was when they took off Jesus’ clothes. At that time, persons whose liberty had been taken away, lost their right to wear clothing. People like prisoners, slaves and demented people were stripped of their clothes because they have lost the right to clothe themselves ( see Deut 28: 48). Moreover, there is no evidence to suggest that the Romans allowed people to wear any underwear ( or loincloth as it was then called) while being crucified. This would have meant that Jesus was probably naked while hanging on the cross.

Luke then describes the mockery of Jesus on a downward progression beginning with the rulers, then the soldiers and finally one of the criminals who was crucified alongside Jesus. They mocked Jesus, calling Jesus the Christ of God and the King of the Jews. Added to this mockery was the temptation they presented to Jesus, taunting him to save himself. Lastly, they placed an inscription above Jesus that read: “ This is the King of the Jews,” an epithet that served to highlight Jesus’ royal and kingly delusions.

It is, however, interesting to note that the mockery that people hurled against Jesus were all true – that he was indeed the Christ of God and the King of the Jews. Ironically, Luke places this ancient Christian confession of faith about Jesus on the lips of his mockers.

Amidst all these hostilities was a different voice that stood out from the rest; a voice that claimed Jesus’ innocence (“this man has done nothing criminal”) and a voice that recognized Jesus’ kingship as he begged Jesus to remember him in his kingdom ( “ remember me when you come into your kingdom”). This voice, coming from one of the criminals who hanged alongside Jesus was the lone voice of faith that believed in Jesus and his saving power. Among all the voices that were heard there, his voice alone addressed Jesus by name, as he said: “ Jesus, remember me…” In addressing Jesus by name, this lone voice unwittingly, reveals to us, Luke’s theology of the name of Jesus: that there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved ( Acts 4: 12).”

While Luke’s narrative of the crucifixion seems dark, grim and cruel, it nonetheless paints a bright, luminous light at the heart of this dark and cruel event. In this crucifixion narrative, we see that the insults hurled at Jesus only served to amplify the fact that Jesus was indeed the Christ and the King of the Jews. Most important of all, the real light at the heart of this darkness was Jesus himself who continued to forgive and offer salvation even in the midst of cruelty and hostility; a king who generously dispensed mercy and salvation to one lone voice who called out to him, saying:  “ Jesus, remember me…”

Prayer

Dear Lord, remember me. Remember me when I seem to get lost and don’t know how to find my way. Remember me when I am in deep trouble. Remember me in the darkest times of my life. I want you to remember me always, especially when you come finally to your kingdom that never ends. Amen.

“Can a woman forget her nursing child,
    or show no compassion for the child of her womb?
Even these may forget,
    yet I will not forget you.”  - Isaiah 49: 15