But this man has done nothing criminal

2 Sam 5,1-3; Ps 121; Col 1,12-20; Lk 23,35-43
24 NOVEMBER

By declaring that Jesus did nothing wrong and asking him to remember him when he enters his kingdom, the thief testifies that the Crucified is the persecuted Righteous and that the persecuted Righteous is the Messiah of God and also the Servant of the Lord. All the ancient prophecies are being fulfilled about the suffering of the Righteous.

They say among themselves unreasoning: «Our life is short and sad; there is no remedy when the man dies, and no one is known to free from the kingdom of the dead. We are born by chance and then we will be as if we had not been: the breath of our nostrils is smoke, thought is a spark in the beating of our hearts, which when turned off, the body will become ash and the spirit will vanish like thin air. With time, our name will fall into oblivion and nobody will remember our works. Our life will pass as a trace of cloud, it will dissolve like a mist put to flight by the rays of the sun and knocked down by its heat. In fact, the passing of a shadow is our existence and there is no return when our end comes, for the seal is placed and no one comes back. Then, come and let us enjoy the present goods, let us taste creatures as in the time of youth! Let us be satiated with fine wine and perfumes, let no spring flower escape us, let us be crowned with rosebuds before they wither; let none of us be excluded from our debaucheries. Let us leave the signs of our pleasure everywhere, because this is our lot and this is our part. We rule over the just, who is poor, we do not spare the widows, nor do we have respect for the gray hair of an aged old man.

Our strength is the law of justice, because weakness is useless. We lay snares for the just, who for us is inconvenient and is opposed to our actions; he blames us for the faults against the law and reproaches us for the transgressions against the education received. He claims to possess the knowledge of God and calls himself a son of the Lord. He has become a condemnation of our thoughts for us; it is unbearable only to see him, because his life is not like that of others, and his paths are completely different. We have been considered false currency by him and keeps away from our paths as from impure things. He proclaims blessed the final fate of the righteous and claims to have God as his father. Let’s see if his words are true, let us consider what will happen to him in the end. For if the righteous is the son of God, he will come to his aid and deliver him from the hands of his adversaries. Let us put him to the test with violence and torments, to know his meekness and to test his spirit of endurance. Let us condemn him to an infamous death, because, according to his words, help will come to him».

In ancient prophecies the sign of a true messianic state is suffering combined with great justice. Jesus is both the Just and the Persecuted, the Innocent and the Crucifix. No man is right. The thief says so: “We suffer because of our iniquities. He did nothing wrong”. Who suffers without having done anything wrong? Only the Messiah, the King of Israel, the Lord’s Anointed. Of him the prophecies say that after his intimate torment he will see the light and the Lord will reward him with the multitudes. Knowing this, the thief can ask his King to be remembered by him when the Lord has fulfilled his every word. The one of the thief is an admirable profession of faith. A worthy conclusion to the whole Gospel along with the other of the centurion who proclaimed: “Truly this was the Son of God”. The Son of God is his Messiah and his King. His King is the Holy One of Israel.

The people stood by and watched; the rulers, meanwhile, sneered at him and said, “He saved others, let him save himself if he is the chosen one, the Messiah 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 Messiah? 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.”

True faith in Christ Jesus today is in sharp decline. If Christians do not resume the true confession of their King, Righteous, Holy, Saviour and Redeemer of humanity, they condemn humanity to non-salvation, non-redemption and non-eternal life.

Mother of God, Angels and Saints arrange that Christians do not leave the world in darkness.