The Eleventh Station: Jesus Promises Paradise to the Penitent Criminal
Luke 23:39-43 — “One of the criminals hanging in the crucifixion blasphemed him: ‘Aren’t you the Messiah? Then save yourself and us.’ But the other one rebuked him: ‘Have you no fear of God, seeing you are under the same sentence? We deserve it, after all. We are only paying the price for what we’ve done, but this man has done nothing wrong.’ He then said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ And he said to him, ‘Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.'”
“Jesus’ message is the good news of forgiveness, conversion, a hope for another life, an alternative to harm and injustice … what we do — individually, in churches, in groups, political parties, communities — affects others…. Lord Jesus, remember us. Help us to live turning always toward your forgiveness, your truthfulness, and your way of nonviolent response to evil. Amen.”
– Megan McKenna, “The New Stations of the Cross,” p. 86-87
Art: “Christ and the Thief” by Nikolai Ge.
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