Feast of Christ the King: The Good Thief Made His Best Theft

On this Sunday, with the Feast of Christ the King, the liturgical year comes to an end. This celebration is an opportunity to gaze upon the Cross and contemplate the Crucified One.
Jesus, who loved us to the very end, who took on our human condition except for sin, invites us to lift our heads and look at Him hanging on the Cross. What can we learn? Let us draw near—we who have been redeemed by the precious blood of the Lamb; we, the banished children of Eve, for whom the gates of Heaven were opened through the obedience of Christ; all of us, children in the Son—let us imitate the Good Thief, who “stole” heaven through his humble prayer: “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”
Jesus answered him: “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
The first lesson, then, is humility in prayer.

Before the Cross, the human heart finds rest and consolation. Therefore, the second thing we can learn is trust and surrender.
The Good Thief recognized that beside him was Someone great, hidden beneath that wounded, bloodied, suffering face. He allowed himself to be seen by Jesus in the deepest truth of being a sinner—and received heaven through that trusting plea.

The kingship of Jesus on the Cross reveals that His Kingdom is one of love and service, not of power.
This is what He taught His disciples when they argued about who was the greatest among them: “Whoever wants to be first must be the servant of all.”
To reign is to love and to serve.
Jesus experienced our human misery—unjust treatment, betrayal, abandonment, sadness, death, the tomb. He is a King who descended even to hell to rescue those who awaited salvation.

The Thief in the Gospel demonstrates the virtues necessary to receive the Kingdom of God. As Saint Gregory the Great explains:

“He had faith, because he believed that he would reign with God, whom he saw dying beside him; he had hope, because he asked to enter His Kingdom; and he had charity, because he sternly rebuked his fellow thief who was dying at the same time and for the same guilt.”
(Saint Gregory the Great, Moralia 18,25)

The contrite attitude of the Good Thief earned him all the love of God and His Kingdom. Let us also come and lay our lives at the feet of our King. Let us allow ourselves to be looked upon by those eyes full of tenderness and mercy, and let us pray with confidence:
“Jesus, remember me, that I may be with you in Paradise!”