The monks of Pluscarden Abbey sing Passer invenit sibi domum. “The sparrow has found a home for itself, and the dove a nest where she may lay her chicks: - your altars, O Lord of Hosts, my King and my God! Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they will praise you for ever.”

Passer invenit sibi domum, et turtur nidum,

ubi reponat pullos suos:

altaria tua Domine virtutum,

Rex meus, et Deus meus:

beati qui habitant in domo tua,

in saeculum seculi laudabunt te.

Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Luke.

Luke 23:35-43

And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, ‘He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!’ The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, and saying, ‘If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!’ There was also an inscription over him, ‘This is the King of the Jews.’

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.’

On this feast of Christ the King, you might expect to be led in prayer to an image of God enthroned in majesty, powerful and resplendent. Instead, we encounter a seemingly broken man, nailed to a cross, dying an excruciating death. What is your first reaction to this crucified monarch?

Look first at the first criminal, the “bad thief”. What is it that’s leading him to join in the mockery expressed by the people’s leaders and the soldiers?

Now look at the other man crucified with Jesus. What does he see in Jesus that prompts him to respond in a very different way?

As the passage is read again, listen for the only response that Jesus himself makes here.

Luke 23:35-43

And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, ‘He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!’ The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, and saying, ‘If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!’ There was also an inscription over him, ‘This is the King of the Jews.’

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.’

At one point in his Spiritual Exercises, St Ignatius invites the one praying to have a conversation with Christ on the cross. You might try that now, in these last few moments of today’s prayer.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be

World without end

Amen.