Jesus Promises His Kingdom to the Good Thief

V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.

R. Because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

One of the criminals crucified beside Jesus rails at him: "Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us." But the other rebukes him: "Do you not fear God, since you are subject to the same condemnation? And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done nothing criminal" (Luke 23:40-41). Then, turning to Jesus, he says: "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom" (Luke 23:42). Jesus replies: "Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise" (Luke 23:43).

This exchange is one of the most consoling passages in the entire New Testament. The good thief — whose name, according to a venerable tradition preserved in the Gospel of Nicodemus, was Dismas — is the first person in the Gospels to enter Paradise. He makes no act of penance beyond acknowledging his guilt. He performs no work of charity. He asks only to be remembered. And Jesus gives him not merely the remembrance he asked for but something infinitely greater: "today you will be with me in Paradise." Not someday, not eventually — today.

This station is unique to the Scriptural Way of the Cross. It places at the heart of the Passion narrative the clearest possible statement of the unconditional nature of divine mercy. God does not require a long resume of virtue before extending salvation. He requires honesty about one's condition (the good thief acknowledged his guilt), faith in who Jesus is ("when you come into your kingdom"), and a willingness to ask. The good thief is the patron of all who come to God late, broken, with nothing to offer — which is, in the end, all of us.