he is a great thief, this man! The good thief finally addresses Jesus directly, invoking his help: “Jesus, remember me when you come in your kingly power” (Lk 23:42). He that name means: “the Lord saves”: this is what the name “Jesus” means. That man asks Jesus to remember him. There is so much tenderness in this expression, so much humanity! It is the need of the human being not to be forsaken; that God may be always near. In this way a man condemned to death becomes an example, a model for a man, for a Christian who trusts in Jesus; and also a model of the Church who invokes the Lord so often in the liturgy, saying: “Remember... Remember your love...”. While the good thief speaks of the future, saying: “when you come in your kingly power”, Jesus’ answer does not leave him waiting; he speaks of the present: he says “today you will be with me in Paradise” (v. 43). In the hour of the cross, the salvation of Christ reaches its height; and his promise to the good thief reveals the fulfillment of his mission: that is, to save sinners. At the beginning of his ministry, in the synagogue of Nazareth, Jesus had proclaimed “release to the captives” (Lk 4:18); in Jericho, in the house of Zacchaeus, a public sinner, Jesus declared that “the Son of man”, that is, He Himself, has come “to seek and to save the lost” (Lk 19:10). On the Cross, his last act confirms the fulfillment of this plan of salvation. From beginning to end, He revealed Himself as Mercy, He revealed Himself as the definitive and unrepeatable Incarnation of the Father’s love. Jesus is truly the face of the Father’s mercy. And the good thief called him by name: “Jesus”. It is a short invocation, and we can all make it several times during the day: “Jesus”. Simply, “Jesus”. Let us do so throughout the day. Picture of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV from Welcome, Pope Leo XIV from marian.org: https://marian.org/articles/welcome-pope-leo-xiv Quote from General Audience of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV on August 20, 2025: https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/audiences/2025/documents/20250820-udienza-generale.html Crest of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV: https://www.vatican.va/content/vatican/en.html General Audience given by Pope Francis September 28, 2016: https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/audiences/2016/documents/papa-francesco_20160928_udienza-generale.html Picture of Pope Francis from Pope Francis, rest in peace :https://marian.org/articles/pope-francis-rest-peace “Do not doubt God's mercy, and take comfort in the words, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him" (Jn 3:16). Quote from No, It’s Never Too Late by Dr. Bryan Thatcher EADM: https://www.thedivinemercy.org/articles/no-its-never-too-late
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