The Solemnity of Christ the King

And the people stood beholding, and the rulers with them derided him, saying: He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the elect of God. And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar, And saying: If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself. And there was also a superscription written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. And one of those robbers who were hanged, blasphemed him, saying: If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering, rebuked him, saying: Neither dost thou fear God, seeing thou art condemned under the same condemnation?
And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this man hath done no evil. And he said to Jesus: Lord, remember me when thou shalt come into thy kingdom. And Jesus said to him: Amen I say to thee, this day thou shalt be with me in paradise.
Luke 23:35-43 (Douay-Rheims Bible)

Prayer

Dear Father the day your Son hung upon the cross, two men also were with him for their crimes. Yet one showed us the evilness of his nature when he blasphemed Jesus, while the other was repentant. Even though he committed sins and crimes we know nothing of and condemned to death for them, he will find himself in paradise. Jesus heard his prayer and knew the thief was truly sorry. He found life rather than death. I see the example of good versus evil in this reading dear Father. Your Son showed us the difference between a heart that is repentant and one that is un-repentant. Even on the cross where he gives up his life he showed me the difference between the two that were there with him. I can be assured then that my ascending prayer will be heard when I pray it from my heart in repentance for my sins. Let us then seek to reconcile ourselves and pray for repentance and be known as the people who chose to ask Jesus to remember us when he comes into his kingdom. Amen