2 Two Criminals.
The second place to visit is where there are three wooden crosses standing together in the grass.
Jesus was not crucified alone: two thieves were with him. Even though they were all dying, one of the thieves still found the energy to join in with the crowd sneering at Jesus, mocking him for saying that he was God’s son and yet was now being killed. But the other thief told him to stop. ‘Do you not even fear God? We’re being punished for crimes we committed: this man has done nothing wrong.’ Turning his head towards Jesus, he said ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ Admitting he has done wrong, he humbly asks Jesus not to forget him. Jesus accepts that he is sorry for what he has done and replies, ’I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in Paradise.’
It’s hard to believe sometimes that anything we’ve done wrong, literally anything, can be forgiven by God if we are truly sorry. But that’s what we see being put into practice by Jesus even as he is dying, and his reaction here is just what he has taught should happen: the thief confesses his criminal past and asks not to be abandoned, and Jesus assures him of his place with him in Paradise.
This means we don’t have to agonize endlessly over what we have done: we need to admit to God we were wrong and genuinely ask for forgiveness. If we follow Jesus, we might then try to make up for what we’ve done, and there have been inspiring stories recently about parents of those who have killed and even those who have themselves killed reaching out to families of those whom they have so terribly wronged, and being forgiven, or even working together to prevent such things happening again.
The place where the crucifixion took place was a rock called Golgotha, represented here by stones scattered at the foot of these three crosses. Pick up a stone, and hold it in your hand: it may begin by feeling cold, but gradually the warmth of your hand will spread to it. Think of it as transferring any guilt you are carrying with you to that stone; you may like to say or think this prayer as you hold it.
Dear God, I am sorry with all my heart for what I’ve done wrong, and I ask for your forgiveness. Help me to be a better person with a gracious and loving heart.
Then put the stone back in front of the crosses, and move on.
