Remember Me Jesus

Remember Me Jesus

Lk 22: 14 – 23: 56

Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord

Introduction

At today’s Passion Sunday 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 by everyone except for one of the criminals who was crucified with him who recognized him as king and savior. 

The Gospel

Today’s reading is taken from Luke who presents to us his version of the crucifixion narrative. Here, we find Jesus crucified with criminals, one on his right, the other on his left. In Luke’s narrative, we see a Jesus, who despite being jeered and mocked at, prays for the crowd’s forgiveness because “they did not know what they were doing.”

Luke also presents the extent of the mockery on Jesus. First they divided his garments by casting lots. Second, the rulers who were there, sneered at him and said: “ He saved others, let him save himself if he is the chosen one, the Christ of God.” Then there were soldiers too, who together with everyone else jeered at him as they approached the crucified Jesus to offer him wine. They too called out loud to Jesus saying: “ If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself. Lastly, they placed an inscription above Jesus that reads: “ This is the King of the Jews”  - an epithet that served to point at Jesus’ kingly delusions.

What separates Luke’s narrative, however, from the other gospels is his story about the two criminals who were crucified alongside Jesus. One of the criminals reviled Jesus saying, “ Are you not the Christ! Save yourself and us.” The other criminal, however, rebuked him and said in reply: “ Have you no fear of God, 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.” Jesus replied to him: “ Amen, I say to you, today, you will be with me in Paradise.”

Reflection

Luke has portrayed to us a forgiving Jesus in the midst of hostilities. The crowd that was present during the crucifixion did not mince words when it came to insulting and mocking Jesus. The first of these insults was when they took off Jesus’ clothes.

In the time of Jesus, persons whose liberty had been taken away lost their right to wear clothing. People like prisoners, slaves, prostitutes and demented people were stripped of their clothes because they have lost the right to clothe themselves (see Deut 28:48, Isa 20:24). Moreover, there is also 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 suggest that Jesus was completely naked while hanging on the cross.

Then, Luke somehow describes the mockery on a downward progression beginning with the rulers, then the soldiers and finally the criminal who was hanged alongside Jesus. Their mockery zeroed in on some common points like calling Jesus the Christ of God and the King of the Jews. Added to the mockery was the temptation presented to Jesus to save himself since he himself saved other people.

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 on the lips of Jesus’ mockers this ancient  Christian confession of faith about Jesus. 

But amidst all these hostilities was a different voice that stood out against the rest; a voice that claimed Jesus’ innocence (“this man has done nothing criminal”) and a voice that recognized his 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 called Jesus by name, saying “Jesus, remember me… “ In addressing Jesus by name, this lone voice revealed 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 painted some light in the heart of this dark and cruel event. The jeering, the mocking and the humiliation Jesus suffers at the hands of his oppressors seemed to amplify all the more that he was indeed the Christ and that he was indeed the King of the Jews. The temptation presented to Jesus to save himself is answered by his offer of salvation to one who has sought salvation. But most of all, the real light in the heart of 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 despite his rejection and humiliation.

Prayer

Dear Jesus, you were a merciful, forgiving and kind savior even in the tragedy of the cross. You asked forgiveness for those who mocked and shamed you. You offered the hope of salvation to one who believed in you. You were the light in the heart of darkness, the only hope of those who seek new life. Remember me Jesus when you come into your kingdom where you live forever and ever. Amen.

“ There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved.” – Acts 4: 12