Which thief are you? Are you the one who accepts the cross and is willing to die outside the gate with Christ, or are you the one who insists that the cross must go?
I’d probably ask Christ to free me, like the one thief did, but when that fell through I’d hopefully ask to take me with Him.
“Suffering is not meaningless. It brings wisdom, humility, perspective, strength, and trust.”
Yes! I would just add: this is true when suffering is offered to and shared with God.
Monsignor Pope Ping!
Why? Because.
God almost never answers why questions.
We needed the lesson that there is nothing we can do to be saved except to receive Him by faith;
"Lord, remember me"
and have His personal answer (by the indwelling of the Holy Ghost)
"This day thou shalt be with Me"
Yes, it IS that simple.
God did not pat us on the head and say, "Good luck kid ... hope y'MAKE it"
They mention Isaiah 53:9, but leave out 53:12, which is referenced in Mark 15:28 and Luke 22:37, especially the phrase “and he was numbered with the transgressors”.
For the same reason as to why he was put in a manger between two animals. Isaiah 1:3.
And that, boys and girls, is why the ox and donkey are included in Nativity Sets (which we’ll see all over the place in a couple of weeks). There’s also a verse about this (although it only says “beasts” or “animals”) in the Septuagint version of Habakkuk.
Great one!
Love the interesting links too.
One thief was saved so that no man might despair.
Only one thief was saved so that no man might presume.