It’s a stark image, one familiar to Christians who observe the time of Lent and Good Friday. Jesus hangs on a cross. On either side of him are two other criminals who also received a death sentence. As the gospel writer known as Luke conveys, one criminal who shares this humiliation and agony says to Jesus: “Remember me when you come into your realm.” Jesus responds, “Today you will be with me in paradise.”
It’s usual for preachers who reflect on this text to explore themes of the after-life: Paradise, the life to come, the realm of heaven where there is no more pain or suffering. I want to suggest that this is only one way to understand this text. I’d like to consider a different understanding of this text, one that is better aligned with the story of Jesus conveyed in Luke’s gospel.
The brief story of the thief who asked to be remembered by Jesus only appears in the gospel attributed to Luke. Each of the four gospels in the Bible convey different understandings of Jesus, his life, and his teaching. One dimension of Luke’s narrative that is different from the others is this: Jesus looked at people equally, no matter their background. In Luke’s writing, Jesus wasn’t only concerned about people who were Jewish, which was the focus of Matthew’s writing, or those with a deeper understanding of mysticism, as found in John’s work. The Jesus of Luke’s narrative reached out to heretics (the Samaritans), treated Roman oppressors with compassion, and welcomed those most despised by society. Women were treated with respect and children valued. The Jesus we learn about in Luke was counter-cultural and broke out of usual societal norms. In this context, it’s not surprising that in his suffering, Jesus displays compassion to a stranger of no particular faith who openly admits that he deserved his criminal sentence.
Of course, there are many implications for this story, but I want to focus on one: in the midst of suffering, Jesus says, “Today you will be with me in paradise.”
Today. Not tomorrow. Not some fine day in the future. Today. It is today when suffering and paradise are both experienced. The Jesus of Luke’s gospel is very clear that the realm of God is in our midst. The realm of God — paradise — is here today. The teaching of Jesus in Luke’s gospel isn’t about an afterlife but is focused on here and now. In this brief passage from the larger story of the crucifixion, Jesus speaks of paradise (the realm of God) in the midst of suffering.
We often think of suffering as something to endure and to get past. We like to think of suffering as having an end when the storms of life pass and all is warm and sunny again. Suffering doesn’t always work that way. Many people live with chronic pain, suffering, and anguish. While there may be some treatments to help reduce the suffering, for some of us it never will end.
I’ve learned with my own experience of arthritis that I can do some things to make the pain and stiffness less acute. That’s helpful. But it doesn’t take it all away. There are times when I least expect that the pain grabs me, makes it difficult to move, and causes me to grimace. As I learned to live with arthritis, I remembered a couple of women from one church I served as pastor. They named arthritis “Arthur” and spoke of arthritis as a person. Sometimes I’d greet them and hear, “Arthur isn’t coming to church today. He stayed at home.” Other times it was, “Arthur kept me up all night. He’s a devil!” Their pain became a companion which influenced their lives but didn’t stop them from living. Even in the midst of “living with Arthur,” they continued to engage in life as fully as possible. They recognized that the realm of God was in their midst and they participated in finding ways to share in paradise.
The Jesus of Luke’s narrative knows that life can be painful and that suffering is real. But he also pointed to ways of finding paradise in daily life. That essential teaching of Luke’s Jesus is reiterated when things were at their worse: the brutal capital punishment of crucifixion. Even in the midst of his own suffering which was surely overwhelming, he affirmed: today is the day. Today is paradise.
Recognizing that life is paradise even in the midst of suffering: truly, that’s living with great faith in life as filled with beauty and possibility.
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