Both men crucified beside Jesus were criminals according to the laws of that time, and they deserved to be there. They were sinners. And there, the Son of God, hanging on the cross with them, was without sin but suffered the same fate for the salvation of the souls of humanity.
These two thieves were sinners. Many of us are, to some extent, like the first thief who insulted and mocked Jesus. He challenges Jesus if he was God, then he could save himself and them as well. How often do we disrespect God this way? I am afraid too often—when life goes the way we least expect, especially in these times of great distress, as if life is standstill and all our plans halted, when we lost our loved ones and jobs, and this pandemic seems to linger on, and we do not know until when it will go away.
But then there was the other criminal, often called the good thief. The second man realised and admitted that he was a sinner and that he deserved punishment. But through it all, he also realised that Jesus, his saviour, was right there with him. Due to his change of heart, Jesus granted him the precious gift of salvation.
The second man gets it, and that’s the lesson. Through all our failures and misgivings, in any situation, good or bad, we should not, and we cannot mock God. We cannot tempt and insult him and ask him to save us from our temporal pains and sufferings.
I do pray that the story of these two thieves will remind me of God’s mercy. Temptations are unlimited in this world, and we need the grace of God to stand firm in our faith.
— Rosalina Angel
What I have learned from the story of these two thieves is that when I fall into sin, I must not feel hopeless to change. I once lost faith in the mercy and forgiveness of the Lord and continued to live in sin. I believed that there was no chance for repentance, and many more of my sins would be unforgiven. However, I realised that, on the contrary, Jesus loved me as he died on the cross for me. Thus when I know I have sinned, I will repent truly and go to confession.
— Maria Benitez
The two thieves were crucified because they had truly committed the crime of stealing, which was a sin. However, stealing is merely one of the numerous ways in which we humans defy God. What matters is how we respond to our sins, first and foremost. We must repent and know more about our worth and about God because God is merciful and God is Love.
As we celebrate the 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines. The Chaplaincy to Filipino Migrants organises an on-line talk every Tuesday at 9.00pm. You can join us at:
https://www.Facebook.com/CFM-Gifted-to-give-101039001847033
— Jade Dolor
What I learned from the good and the unrepentant thieves is that we are all sinners in need of a saviour, and no matter how many sins I have, it is never too late to repent and accept the free gift of salvation. There are times when I need to turn to God and ask for his forgiveness. As we approach Holy Week, I choose to be a repentant thief who stays humble, spends more time in prayer and seeks spiritual guidance and forgiveness. For by his grace, we have been saved through faith.
— Rea Engalgado
Like the unrepentant thief, when I get into trouble, I always ask God why that happens? I would ask him to take my troubles away. But realising that this is the wrong way to pray, I now pray to him for guidance and enlightenment to help me solve the challenges in life. When I feel that I have committed a sin, I repent and ask for God’s mercy. As the Lord forgives me, so I will also forgive those who have hurt me. If I have offended another person, I would humbly apologise. The good thief admitted with remorse his sins and accepted his punishments, and from that moment, he earned mercy from God.
— Lorelei Fuertecillos
The repentant thief caught God’s attention, and the greatness of the mercy of God was poured on him. His love and mercy overflowed when someone acknowledged his sinfulness with a repentant heart. For me, it is a wake-up call to all of us to renounce our sins and acknowledge God’s love and merciful forgiveness. Now is the time to turn away from all our wickedness.
The impenitent thief did not show any remorse and instead taunted Jesus for not saving himself and them. Let us be wise to choose our words in talking to God. Let us not forget that God is powerful. Let’s sincerely repent and amend all our sins.
— Carolyn Tapel
The repentant thief represents those who acknowledge Christ as their saviour. It represents those who believe and repent. Although our spiritual growth takes time as it depends on the openness of one’s heart and mind, God’s love is like rain which pours for the good and the bad. Thanks be to God for his love and mercy endures forever.
— Cecilia Golez
