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Opening Questions

• Have you ever been so mad at someone that you just wanted to do something, anything to get them back?

• Do you have any special things you do to calm yourself down when you are upset?

• Can you forgive someone who never told you they were sorry?

Two things really jump out at me when I hear the story that Lexie and Karen read for us.  The first one is that Jesus can bring people together, no matter the circumstances.

Think of what Jesus was going through, he was at the end of his life; a prisoner who was sentenced to death and was on his way to die.  Yet, even though they didn’t know it, it was because of Jesus that Pilate and Herod became friends.  We are told that up until then, they were enemies.  But, their mutual dealings with Jesus have brought them together.  While it probably isn’t the best reason in the world to start a friendship (deciding who is going to kill someone), it still is the common ground where they find reconciliation.  Jesus can do that.  Without us even realizing it, Jesus can be, and most often is, at the center of new, and renewed, relationships in our lives.

That’s why I believe that God can always bring some good out of the worst situations, and light out of some of the darkest moments in our lives.  One thing life has taught me is that with Jesus, there is always light.  It may take time and distance to see it, but there is always light.

The second thing that jumps out at me in today’s reading is the conversation between Jesus and the thief on the cross.  We never find out his name, but you will often hear him referred to as the Good Thief.  Once again, good out of bad.

I really like his conversation with Jesus because it helps us to understand that it is never too late to turn to God.  It starts out with him defending Jesus when the other thief is yelling at him. 

That tells us that he had a little bit of faith in who Jesus was, if he was willing to come to his defense.  Jesus tells us earlier in his ministry that if you have faith even the size of a mustard seed, then you can move mountains.  Or in this case, it’s enough to get into heaven.

The reason we are here today, and the reason we come together every Sunday is to celebrate how much we are loved.  And in a world that can sometimes make us feel like we are anything but loved, this is a message we need to hear. 

So, if anyone, be it someone school, a bully in your neighbourhood or work place, or anyone tries to make you feel like you are not enough just the way you are.  Always remember what we celebrate today:  that you are so special, so unique and so loved, that someone was willing to die for you.

That’s something really good coming out of something really bad.

Mark Mahoney
Pastoral Associate
St. Elizabeth of the Trinity