Solemnity of the Feast of Christ the King C

The rulers sneered at Jesus and said, "He saved others, let him save himself if he is the chosen one, the Christ of God." 
· Here we have a connection with the temptation of Jesus in the desert. The focus of the question is whether Jesus is the chosen one, the Messiah of God.  If he is, they implied, he would not be in this situation. God would not allow it. This was the same sticking point the devil used against Jesus in the desert temptation.
· Imagine Jesus hearing this statement of mockery. What do you think went through his mind? Was he questioning his identity? Or rather did he embrace the fuller meaning of being the chosen one, the Messiah of God as the suffering servant of God?

Even the soldiers jeered at him. As they approached to offer him wine they called out,"If you are King of the Jews, save yourself."  Above him there was an inscription that read, "This is the King of the Jews." 
· The soldiers were aware that Pilate had asked Jesus if he was a king. They even mocked him by placing a crown of thorns on his head and a purple robe on his back and a reed in his hand, while pretending to do his homage.
· What do you think Jesus was feeling as he heard the mockery intensify?

Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying, "Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us." 
· Now, one of the criminals crucified with Jesus joins in the attack. He was not interested in whether Jesus was the Messiah or not. He was only interested in Jesus performing some miracle freeing the criminal from the cross.

The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply, "Have you no fear of God, for 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." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." 
· The other criminal hears the mockery of the rulers, the soldiers and the other criminal. But there is something different about him.  Though he recognizes that he is deserving of the punishment, he still has a “fear of God,” while at the same time he recognizes the innocence of Jesus.
· This man expresses his repentance for his deeds by asking God not to physically save him but to show him forgiveness and mercy. How often have we tried to justify ourselves rather than admit our faults and seek God’s mercy?

He replied to him, “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."
· What a powerful witness of Jesus mercy, even in the midst of his own suffering.  Maybe it was the Father’s way of reassuring Jesus that he came to save the repentant sinner not the self-righteous. Here was the first fruit of his death and resurrection.
· This event reaffirms what the psalmist said: God does not want the death of the sinner but that he repent and live.
· This also underlines the word of God to the prophet. If a wicked man turns back to the Lord and dies, he will live forever with God.
· Reflect of God’s mercy to you over the years.
· From your reflections on this passage what is God saying to you?