This day shalt thou be in Paradise

This is another proclamation of the Son of God from the cross on that unforgettable Friday afternoon when two thieves were crucified along with Him. One of them said to Christ, are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us! The second rebuked the first saying: Do you not fear God? ...we are receiving the due reward of our deeds, but Jesus has done nothing wrong. This penitent thief then pleaded: “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Let's label them the wise and foolish thieves. I am of course drawing here from the Parable of Jesus on the wise & foolish virgins!

We can liken the 2 thieves to the two types of believers on earth today. All are thieves in that all have sinned. We are all in need of salvation and redemption.

Just like the foolish thief, a part of present day believers do not have the true faith. Such believers hold that Jesus can do the unnatural for example - suddenly coming down physically and unaided from the cross. What these people desire or better said, what they demand from their Saviour are arbitrary acts they call “miracles”. They expect to be delivered suddenly from all kinds of earthly difficulties that they themselves have brought about through their stubbornness and reckless behaviour. These types of believers always approach the Most High with a shopping list whenever they pray to Him. Some have even stepped over all boundaries by attempting to “command” their Creator, asking Him to prove Himself by doing this or that for them! This attitude reminds one of the insults of the foolish thief who said “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us”.

The wise thief on the other hand (epitomising the attitude of a true believer) recognised humbly and declared openly that he was in the wrong and was paying for his wrongful behaviour. He did not demand any quick fix to his problem nor seek a temporary earthly advantage: e.g. possible release from his pains on the cross just like the expectation of the foolish thief. Instead, he longed for the Heavenly Kingdom reminding us of one of the admonitions of Jesus that we seek first the Kingdom of Heaven. Similarly, true believers recognising that they are responsible for their thoughts words and deeds continually strive to give purity to their thoughts. They bear within them the firm volition for what is good.

In the end, the foolish thief got no visible advantage while the wise thief got a firm promise of a place in paradise! One can decide the path to follow. It is either the path of those who make self-serving earthly demands and expect arbitrary actions from the Creator, or the path of repentance that pleads humbly for God's forgiveness and strength for spiritual ascent. May we have the strength to choose the path of repentance which leads to salvation and redemption.  Amen