Observation Of The Good Thief

Observation Of The Good Thief

By Paul McCann

 

So, I went up to Holy Cross and took a seat there for a while . There was no one else there and so I considered an examination of conscience would be a perfect thing to do .

I thought about the need for things like penance and the absolution of sins and then the thought came to me about the right of passage into heaven for one particular person . If I asked you who would be the very the first man to enter into heaven .

What would your answer be ?

Let me try to answer that for you .

Remember the good thief who said to Jesus .

 "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom" Luke 23:42).

That was an amazing statement to make for many reasons .

He was able to recognise the innocence of a Jesus who was being crucified like himself and in that moment of time when he spoke to Jesus, he also mentioned that he and the other thief being crucified deserved to be punished for their sins and the wrongs they had done . Jesus responded in such a way that not only acknowledged his repentance but it also promised him an absolution of sins a personal communion with Him in the afterlife but Jesus indicated an immediate admission into heaven ,

In Luke 23:43 Jesus said

"Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

The emphasis is on the word today .

Which indicates he would be the first man to enter heaven .

Without a doubt Jesus loved the fact that the good thief who defended Jesus was forgiven and freed from all guilt and sin .

.

 

Further to that , salvation through grace was the reason why Jesus came into the world and when the good thief admitted his guilt that was the greatest confession anyone could ever have made .

 

My thoughts expose insights into the character and provides a further insight about his resurrection and new life in paradise .

What did this happen ?

To inform us of forgiveness and the resurrection after death .

Who else but the Almighty could have given admission to heaven to the good. thief through the forgiveness of His Son Jesus .

There are many questions that need answered .

How do we know that he was forgiven and went to heaven?

Because Jesus said that from the cross and his word is true .

Did Jesus judge him ?

No even though he was guilty and had sinned Jesus forgave him .

What can we learn from this ?

That if we admit we are guilty of sin , we can be forgiven and be assured of heaven after this life .  .

Why do we exist ?

Why are we sinful ?

God made us out of the dust; we are nothing without Him .

With him we are able to find goodness in our lives and achieve eternal life with Him

 

So why is there Evil in the world ?

Because evil can also become good , Jesus is the way and the truth and the light of the world , so forgiveness is possible through Him .

 

After thinking through all these things, I rehearsed my own confession before making a confession and afterwards said my prayers of penance.

I sat there for about an hour . It was cold and very quiet still as Paddy the sacristan asked me if I was ok .

Being the middle of winter, I asked him if he knew why the water on the dam was frozen and he told me it was God’s way of showing the world that we also need to chill and be still sometimes in life .

I walked away from Holy Cross church and went home where I wrote a monologue for the good thief that I’d like to share with you .

 

Remembering The Good Thief

By Paul McCann

The day came to Calvary
Three crosses stood on a hill.

The crowd began to gather,
Before the blood began to spill .

Two others and I were sentenced ,
the cross could not resist.

But one was an innocent man.
How could they have done this ?

For this is the man who knelt down

and wept by olive trees .

He was whipped like me until he

fell on his bended knees .

They nailed him to a cross ,
like me but did not question why .

Upon a cross with outstretched arms ,
he'd suffer then he'd die .

But I am just a common thief and they've misunderstood .

Beside me Jesus sacrificed his life .
Impaled on wood .

A crown of thorns upon his head.
the King of Cavalry .

Remember in your Kingdom Lord .
a good thief just like me .

 Footnote -

Life is full of extraordinary things and the way we see things can often change Afterwards I thought that what happened to the good thief was more like a miracle and realised that the start for us all to accept forgiveness is a real thing and if we are able to accept that there is hope for all the world.

 

The End