Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise. - Luke 23:43

            This is actually my first time to reflect about a gospel reading and to read it out loud in front of certain people I know. When asked to make a reflection, I actually thought that making one out of bible readings would be a piece of cake but it got me wrong. It took me time and effort to know the real meaning of the passages I was reading.  Though it was short, it was actually conveying multiple messages for all of us. I have come to realize that just like an ordinary teenager— I know little about the bible. It actually felt good that for once, I took a break from my usual reading of novels and series to reading the bible instead.

            So getting to the point, today’s gospel reading is about love, mercy and humility. Based on my understanding, Luke’s gospel allows us to reflect on our lives and see that we too, just like the two sinners on the cross, need to take the consequences of our actions and that our actions will lead us to a just punishment. Once we begin to accept that we make mistakes and that no one is perfect, we can start to see the love of God for what it really is. His love is beautiful, merciful and everlasting. He loves us for our mistakes, failures and accomplishments. All we have to do is surrender everything to Him, just like what Jesus did on the cross.

            The rulers in the reading sneered at Jesus and said. “He saved others. Let him save himself if he is the chosen one, the Christ of God.” Now we might be asking why Jesus didn’t give them what they want. Why not come down from the cross? If Jesus had come down from the cross, all would have believed in Him. But what would they have believed in? In a God who humbles His enemy, who defeats the wicked with miracles, and a God who instills fear? This is not the God of Jesus. If He had come down from the cross, He would have betrayed His mission. He would have approved of the false God the leaders believed in. He would have confirmed them in their notion that God was like them; strong, arrogant, oppressive and vengeful.

            What is really the kind of God we worship? Do we worship a God who punishes and does miracles to show us that he is the master of the universe? A God who is merciful in this world, but in the next will vent his rage on them? Is this "strong" God compatible with the God Jesus reveals to us on the cross? Our God is a God who loves all, who forgives all, and who allows Himself to be defeated for love.

            I know I am not perfect and there are times that I commit mistakes. I sometimes commit sin without even knowing I had already committed one, just like unconsciously saying bad words. When I was young, it was easy for me to admit my mistakes and say the words “I’m sorry” whenever I’m caught in a fight with my siblings. But young as I was, I know that saying sorry would make everything okay and that God and everyone else will forgive me.

            This is the forgiveness Jesus offers to us just like with the criminal on the cross whom Jesus replied with “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise”. We are all going to make mistakes from time to time but with the knowledge that God forgives, we are able to consistently receive His mercy. God’s mercy is bigger than any mistake we’ve done. We’re also able to know that we are given second chances to become better people.We just need to be humble enough to swallow our pride and say that we are truly sorry. 

            Another lesson that we could get from this passage is that we should never gloat over another person’s defeat, as we never know when we might be in the same situation. When someone is suffering, we should show respect and not make his/her life miserable than it already is.

            We should avoid the way the rebels were acting, that despite the lifeblood of Jesus draining out, they stood by and shouted insults, making fun of His pain and challenging His claim to be God. As Jesus took all of mankind’s sin and guilt on Himself, God looked away from that ugly sight. Words cannot describe the darkness of that moment. Why did God allow and endure such terrible, evil mistreatment? Why? So we could be spared from eternity in hell, and so we could share in his glory forever. The Bible says, “Christ was without sin, but for our sake God made him share our sin in order that in union with Him we might share the righteousness of God.”

            What about the rest of us? What life are we living? The life that makes ourselves feel better by tearing others down or the life that says “I’m human and I make mistakes but I get back up and by the grace of God, I try to live my life with dignity”?

            When life gets tough for us, when we’re overwhelmed with doubt, or when we wonder if living for Christ is worth the effort, remember that God has plans for all of us, and just like Jesus, His faith was strong in the midst of pain. God wants us to be like Jesus, that despite the people judging or bullying around us, we must remain faithful to God and trust His plans. We must forgive those who have sinned against us. Jesus honored God by fulfilling his purpose on earth. It’s time we honor God the same way. Let us start by thinking that we are not any better than others just because we sin differently from them. We are all sinners. And even with that, God loves us all equally.

- Micah Chin