CHAPTER XXIII Of the Word spoken on the Cross to the thief
CHAPTER XXIII
Of the Word spoken on the Cross to the thief
I BLESS Thee, and give thanks to Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, chief and only Comfort of sinners, for the boundless love and exceeding mercy, which Thou didst vouchsafe to show to him who hung at Thy right hand upon his cross. He had been a most wicked thief, but was now at length converted, and a true penitent. As soon as he acknowledged his sinfulness, and was truly sorry for his evil deeds, he obtained, by Thy sure promise, remission of all his sins, and entrance into Paradise; for when a man’s contrition is true, and his conversion complete, his repentance, however late it may be, will not fail of its reward.
How blessed and life-giving are the conversion and contrition of sinners, by which, without delay, a man may win a place in the Kingdom of Heaven! That penitent, who had been a thief, but was now a blessed Confessor, although he had long and grievously sinned, yet at last, and in the hour of his greatest need, came to himself; and grieving with heartfelt sorrow for all that he had done, humbly sought forgiveness, and obtained full pardon. For when he owned that he was justly condemned to death, he admitted that he had been guilty. He had a zeal for righteousness, when he reproved his comrade at his side for the wickedness of his blasphemy. He shows that his heart is in its right place, when he laments that Christ, Who is altogether free from guilt, has been unjustly condemned. He had great faith; for he did not despair of obtaining mercy from Christ; but asked to be remembered by Him in the Kingdom of God: and so, being full of the gifts of grace, he appealed, in the full assurance of faith, to Thee, O Lord Jesus, Whom he owned as the loving Shepherd of souls, the true Priest, and the Confessor of all confessors the most faithful; and having in his mind’s eye the whole course of his life, he said: “Lord, remember me when Thou shalt come into Thy Kingdom.” And Thou, O most gracious Jesus, didst answer him in those most sweet and most comforting words: “Amen, I say to thee, this day thou shalt be with Me in paradise.”
O words sweet indeed, and altogether lovely, laden with encouragement from the Mouth of God, bringing joy to the heart of the contrite sinner in his agony, and overflowing with comfort for one who was in such anxiety and distress. With what a sense of safety can he now die, to whom it has been given to hear such a promise! He shall have no fear in the evil day, whom the Lord Jesus has promised to uphold. To this thief, confessing the Lord Jesus, is granted that which was refused to Peter, entreating Him. Peter wished to set up tabernacles on the Mount of the Transfiguration, but his request was not granted; and when the hour of the Passion was at hand, and Peter wished to be with the Lord through it all, he was told: “Thou canst not follow Me now, but thou shalt follow Me hereafter.” To the Apostle-ship Peter was the first to be called; but in entering the Kingdom the thief went before him. How marvellous, O Lord, are Thy works! Thy thoughts are exceeding deep. How unfathomable are Thy judgements, and how past finding out are Thy words! An unwise man will not well consider, and a fool will not understand these things. How blessed was the opportunity of this robber, who was permitted to suffer with Thee, to die with Thee, and with Thee to enter Thy Kingdom. I know not what good he had before this done in all his life; but of this I am sure, that when its end came he got rid of all his evil deeds by his humble confession. How boundless, then, was the mercy by which one so steeped in guilt had no sooner made to Thee his humble prayer: “Lord, remember me when Thou shalt come into Thy Kingdom,” than all was forgiven him! Thou, O Lord, merciful and gracious, gavest ear at once to the penitent, and didst comfort the soul of him who had confessed his sin with the gracious answer: “Amen, I say to thee, this day thou shalt be with Me in paradise.”
How comforting and wholesome a thing is it for me thoughtfully to consider the circumstances of this thief’s death, and of Thy most sweet answer to his prayer; not in order that I may be more fearless in sinning, or may put off amendment longer than I should; but that, from the fact of a man, who had been such an evil-doer, being so suddenly converted, being made an heir, by Thy merciful grace, of everlasting life, and restored to Paradise, I may learn, when suddenly overcome by temptation, that I need not despair. I should indeed, O Lord, be sorely troubled on account of my many sins, did I not know of Thy mercies, had I not heard of cases of penitents most graciously taken back into Thy favour. It is Thou Who by the mouth of Thy Prophet didst say: “I would not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should be converted and live”: and again by Thy own mouth: “God so loved the world as to give His only-begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in Him, may not perish, but may have life everlasting”: and again: “I am not come to call the just, but sinners.” It was Thou Who without delay didst forgive to Mary Magdalene all her sins, as she knelt weeping at Thy Feet. It was Thou Who didst take back into Thy favour Peter, who had thrice denied Thee, when he went out and wept bitterly. It was Thou Who, in Thy mercy, didst heal those who were taken with divers diseases, and, in the abundance of Thy love, didst loose those who were bound with the chain of very grievous sins—witness the woman taken in adultery, whom Thou didst save from the hands of her accusers, who were about to stone her.
O most gracious Jesus, my hope of mercy, and my refuge; Thou Who undertakest for me, and deliverest me from my cruel enemies; be merciful to me, and suffer not my soul to perish, to redeem which Thou wast content to endure the shameful death of the Cross. Remember Thy sacred words spoken to the thief, by which to me also Thou hast left a hope so firm that it can never be shaken. Say, then, to my soul, O Saviour of my life, when the hour of my departure shall draw nigh: “This day thou shalt be with Me in Paradise.” What more joyful words could a dying man hear, in what sweeter sounds could his senses be steeped, than those of that answer of good comfort: “This day thou shalt be with Me in Paradise”? Remember me, O Lord, in Thy Kingdom; forsake me not in the awful hour of death, when my strength is failing, when my voice is a mere whisper, when my sight is almost gone, when my ears are almost deaf. Then, O my good Jesus, haste Thee to help me, and send Thy holy angels to comfort me in my agony, that the cruel enemy, who lies in wait for us at our last hour, may not prevail against me. He even dared to look for some weak point in Thee, that might be open to his attack; but finding none, he was utterly confounded, and departed from Thee. So let them be confounded that seek after my soul to destroy it, let them be turned backward and be put to shame suddenly. But let my soul be joyful in Thee, and rejoice in Thy Salvation, O Lord, meditating on Thy gracious second Word from the Cross: “Amen I say to thee, this day thou shalt be with Me in Paradise.” May those words, made sweeter by the thought that Thou didst speak them from Thy Cross, be often on my lips, and more often still in my heart. Words coming from the lips of my Lord as He hung upon the Cross, have a more grateful sweetness, and a fuller power, than any others, and call therefore for more thoughtful attention, more anxious meditation. Oh that I may have grace so to live; Oh that I may strive so to serve my Lord, that when the hour of my departure from the body shall come, I may be found worthy to hear that most sweet word spoken from on high: “This day thou shalt be with Me in Paradise”! And Oh that Thou wouldst also speak to Thy poor servant those other most joyful words: “Well done, thou good servant, thou hast been faithful over a few things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” For at that hour nothing can profit more, nothing bring more joy, than to have led a good life, and to have served Thee faithfully until death.