Mtr Mary Trainor

Dear friend,

The woman’s voice trembled slightly, its volume reduced by age and Parkinson’s. Even so, it caught my attention.

As she began, I turned to listen more completely. “You know that story in the Bible about the thief on the cross?” I nodded. “And how Jesus said, ‘Today you will be with me in Paradise?’” Again I nodded.

She paused to catch her breath before asking the question that burdened her heart. “Do you think it’s true?”

We’re still in Luke for our Daily Office reading. Jesus is crucified and hangs on a cross between two criminals—one of whom joins in with those who jeer, the other of whom recognizes Jesus as an innocent, hoisted up on a cross between two men whose actions led them there.

One of the men holds on to his old street ways. He is brash and unrepentant. The other is softened by the reality of what is happening. And by the man in the middle.

This criminal says, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus responds, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

This has been a favorite scripture of mine for a good while, long before the elderly woman posed her question, “Do you think it’s true?”

The scene at the cross is powerful. What first catches our attention is the wide view, the scene. It feels harried and hurried. While only a few words are used for the crucifixion itself, we can only imagine the workers, rushing and lifting and sweating, the three men on crosses taking stock of their situation. Lots being cast to divvy up Jesus’ clothing. People standing by, leaders scoffing, soldiers mocking, offering sour wine.

Then comes the narrow view, the closeups. Three men on crosses, talking among themselves. One more callus and cold, unmoved by his circumstance, continues in his own defense. He makes fun of Jesus. Save yourself, he scoffs. Us, too, as a joke.

But that other criminal has surrendered all, as the old song says. He is moved by his circumstance. And he is moved by Jesus. In that man in the middle he catches a glimmer of eternity, of hope, of salvation. “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

Jesus is moved, too. Enough to extend to this man his last soul-saving effort on earth: “...today you will be with me in Paradise.”

“Do you think it’s true,” the woman asked me. A silence grew between us. I usually took my serious questions to her, and now she was earnestly asking this of me. In the end I could offer the only authentic answer I had to give; “Yes, I think it’s true, Mother, I absolutely think it’s true.”

Mtr. Mary