The Repentant Criminal
Luke 23:39-43
One of the criminals hanging in crucifixion blasphemed him: "Aren't you the Messiah? Then save yourself and us." But the other one rebuked him: "Have you no fear of God, seeing you are under the same sentence?
We deserve it, after all. We are only paying the price for what we've done, but this man has done nothing wrong." He then said,
"Jesus, remember be when you enter upon your reign." And Jesus replied, "I assure you: this day you will be with me in paradise."
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"Are you willing to believe that even though they are guilty of a diabolical act, they still continuue to be children of God, not monsters, not demons, but those with the capacity to change?" Archbishop Desmond Tutu
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"The line separating good and evil passes not through states, not between classes, not between political parties either--but right through every human heart. . . . This line shifts. Inside us, it oscillates with the years. And even with hearts overwhelmed with evil, one small bridgehead of good is retained. And even in the best of hearts, there remains . . . an unuprooted small corner of evil." Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
... excerpts from "The New Stations of the Cross" by Megan McKenna
Forgiving Lord Jesus, you see the darkness in our soul, and still you suffered to bring us into the light of new life. Help us to overcome the darkness and cast it out, and open our hearts to be filled by the light of your love.
We pray for faith communities everywhere, to find within their mission a way to offer reconciliation and renewal to repentant prisoners, so that upon release, they will be brought back into a nurturing, supporting community of believers. We pray for everyone who brings the good news into the prison system to be renewed and uplifted to share the redemptive news of the Gospels. And we lift up the following persons for special prayer: John Cahill, Melissa Simonson, Tommy Johnson, Leo Solis, Loretta Sols, Tiffany Blassingame, Hector Garcia, Debbie Green, Mary Elliott, Terrance Dwayne Manning, Stephen Clements, Douglas Gratten and Bessie Lea Hebbe.
Help each of us to recognize the truth of sin and suffering in the world, and in our hearts; and help us chose the path that leads to the cross. You have given everything to save us from our own path of destruction. We give you our lives, to be used in the service of others. In the name of Jesus we pray.
One of the criminals hanging in crucifixion blasphemed him: "Aren't you the Messiah? Then save yourself and us." But the other one rebuked him: "Have you no fear of God, seeing you are under the same sentence?
We deserve it, after all. We are only paying the price for what we've done, but this man has done nothing wrong." He then said,
"Jesus, remember be when you enter upon your reign." And Jesus replied, "I assure you: this day you will be with me in paradise."----------
"Are you willing to believe that even though they are guilty of a diabolical act, they still continuue to be children of God, not monsters, not demons, but those with the capacity to change?" Archbishop Desmond Tutu
----------
"The line separating good and evil passes not through states, not between classes, not between political parties either--but right through every human heart. . . . This line shifts. Inside us, it oscillates with the years. And even with hearts overwhelmed with evil, one small bridgehead of good is retained. And even in the best of hearts, there remains . . . an unuprooted small corner of evil." Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
... excerpts from "The New Stations of the Cross" by Megan McKenna
Forgiving Lord Jesus, you see the darkness in our soul, and still you suffered to bring us into the light of new life. Help us to overcome the darkness and cast it out, and open our hearts to be filled by the light of your love.
We pray for faith communities everywhere, to find within their mission a way to offer reconciliation and renewal to repentant prisoners, so that upon release, they will be brought back into a nurturing, supporting community of believers. We pray for everyone who brings the good news into the prison system to be renewed and uplifted to share the redemptive news of the Gospels. And we lift up the following persons for special prayer: John Cahill, Melissa Simonson, Tommy Johnson, Leo Solis, Loretta Sols, Tiffany Blassingame, Hector Garcia, Debbie Green, Mary Elliott, Terrance Dwayne Manning, Stephen Clements, Douglas Gratten and Bessie Lea Hebbe.
Help each of us to recognize the truth of sin and suffering in the world, and in our hearts; and help us chose the path that leads to the cross. You have given everything to save us from our own path of destruction. We give you our lives, to be used in the service of others. In the name of Jesus we pray.
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