Eleventh Station: Jesus promises the kingdom to the penitent thief
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you,
All because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
Reading
A reading from the Gospel according to Luke.
One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, ‘Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!’ But the other rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ He replied, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.’
Luke 23.39-43
Reflection / Meditation
Reflection or meditation may follow.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, even in your deepest agony you listened to the crucified thief:
hear us as we unburden to you our deepest fears.
You spoke words of love in your hour of death:
help us to speak words of life to a dying world.
To you, Jesus, who offer hope to the hopeless,
be honour and glory with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
now and for ever.
All Amen.
All Holy God,
holy and strong,
holy and immortal,
have mercy upon us.