What is the most important act of a king?
Growing up in my family – one of my favorite experiences of Christmas and the holidays where the times when my Uncle, Fr. Wally Boul, would come by the house. We’d have dinner, and then he would take a quick nap. (How could you do that on Christmas, I always thought. But then I got ordained, and completely understand it…) He’d come back to the family table, and take up his seat at the end, and then the “remembering session” would begin. Stories about the mischief that he and his brother Doug would get in; tales from the depression, from the war, from the growing up years, from his first parish would tumble out, one after the other – in a flood of blessedness and laughter and tears. It was such a simple yet profound experience. Remembering!
You see, when Uncle Wally remembered, you were caught up in his world, his way of viewing it and experience of living it. Isn’t that what remembering does? We get caught up in the world of the other. We begin experience life as they experience it, to see it as they see it.
“Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” It is such a simple prayer, whispered by a dying thief, whether out of desperation or hope, we’ll never know. Yet, it is at the heart of the kingship of Jesus. And it is, I believe, the most important act of a king – to remember!
You see, in the scriptures God is almost always the subject of remembering. God is always the first to remember. He remembers Noah as he spares creation. He remembers Abraham and gives him a land. He remembers Hannah as he grants her prayer in giving her Samuel. He remembers his covenant, his promises, his kindness, his mercy; he remembers the sins of the people, but also our love, our prayers, and our generosity. Remembering –is predominately the act of God toward us.
So when the thief asks Jesus to remember him, it is both an act of faith as well as an appeal. As an act of faith, it says to Jesus – I know that you can do what God does. As an appeal, it asks Jesus, do what God does best. Re-member me – put me back together – include me in YOUR story, your power, your compassion, your grace. Jesus, remember me – have the very mercy, compassion and saving will of God himself.
The response of Jesus is even more than the thief could have imagined. “Today you will be with me in paradise.” Today your story, your life, your failures are now caught up into mine. Just as we were caught up into Uncle Wally’s world on those Christmas days, the thief get caught up into Jesus’ world of mercy and forgiveness. “Today – not only will you be remembered – but you will be with me in paradise.” Therein lies the fullness of Jesus’ kingship – his saving re-membering that brings us into his presence, into his world. This is the remembering that allows us to see the world with his eyes, to understand it with his heart, and to live it with his love.
And Jesus says that to you and me this day as well – if we let him. “Today you will be with me in paradise.” For when we remember how Jesus was able to forgive on the cross, we begin to live just a bit closer to the kingdom and paradise he promise. And as we remember how Jesus reached out to those in need, we find our own hearts beginning to do that, and suddenly, we are closer to paradise than the moment before. When we remember how Jesus taught the truth in love, we become witnesses to those by our living. And so it goes. Re-membering – remaking our hearts like unto Jesus’ heart. That happens best because the One whom we remember, remembers us.
Jesus – re-member me – not with the usual things we associate with kingship – power, glory, wealth, control – but with the attitudes and actions of the kingdom – mercy, forgiveness, grace, salvation. Let me live where you live – out of these traits, and not my own. Ah, then we will know salvation, because we will be with him and like him…
Let me suggest two ways to live this out this week. 1) Let the prayer of the thief be your prayer this week. Jesus – remember me. From whatever place of need or sorrow or struggle or cross you experience – call out to the one who has the power to save you.
2) Since remembering is the act of God toward us, let it be no less than our act toward our fellow members of the kingdom. Maybe it is “That” moment when your sibling said those seemingly unforgiveable words – re-member them in light of Jesus’ promise on the cross. Perhaps it is that day when you completely blew up at your kids – look at that moment with the eyes of mercy. All the bad places and wrong decisions and unfaithful responses – bring them all to the altar of the cross – and let Jesus do that thing that he does the best – Remember us. Jesus, remember me, when you come into your kingdom. Jesus, remember us, when you come into your kingdom.