Voice: Mylene
Today is the 28th of July, Tuesday. Let’s gather our scattered thoughts and be still in His presence.
We pray:
Almighty and everlasting Father,
we thank you that you have brought us safely
to the beginning of this day.
Keep us from falling into sin or running into danger;
order us in all our doings;
and guide us to do always what is right in your eyes:
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Psalm 32
Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered.
2 Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity,
and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
3 For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah
5 I acknowledged my sin to you,
and I did not cover my iniquity;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah
6 Therefore let everyone who is godly
offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found;
surely in the rush of great waters,
they shall not reach him.
7 You are a hiding place for me;
you preserve me from trouble;
you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
9 Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding,
which must be curbed with bit and bridle,
or it will not stay near you.
10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord.
11 Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous,
and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as It was in the beginning, is
now, and shall be forever. Amen.
Luke 23:32-43
32Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. 33And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments. 35And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” 36The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine 37and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.”
39One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 40But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
Remember me
Here we have the familiar story of two criminals who hung on crosses beside Jesus.
One ridiculed him. The other responded differently. He recognised that while they were being justly punished, Jesus had done nothing wrong.
And so he turned to Jesus and asked, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
Somehow, this criminal recognised that Jesus was a king—and that, therefore, he had a kingdom. He saw beyond the shame and apparent defeat of this crucified King and hoped that there would one day be a great reversal.
And if there were, he pleaded, “Remember me.”
That was the only shred of hope he had.
Remember me. I want to be known by you.
Both criminals were physically close to Jesus, but only one asked him for mercy and grace. Only one placed his faith in Jesus with whatever little evidence, hope, and strength he had.
It was not much.
But it was enough.
Jesus promised him something far greater than mere remembrance: “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Not someday, but today.
Not merely remembered by Jesus, but with Jesus.
It is a powerful picture of sheer grace. This criminal was saved at the very last moment. He had no opportunity to turn his life around, perform good works, or prove the sincerity of his repentance. He could offer Jesus nothing except an admission of guilt and a plea for mercy.
Yet there he was, hanging beside Jesus—and grace reached him even there.
May we likewise remember that we are saved not by what we have done, but by the grace of Christ, and by grace alone.
We pray the Collect for the Day:
Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more ready to hear than we to pray, and to give more than we either desire or deserve: Pour down upon us the abundance of your mercy, forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things for which we are not worthy to ask, except through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ our Savior; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
In closing, be blessed by this prayer, Remember Me by the Taize community.
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