Crucea.ro

by Archbishop Andrei (Rymarenko, 1893-1978)

Before us is the Cross. This is the Cross of Christ. But on Golgotha there were
two more crosses: Christ in the middle and on either side of Him were crucified
two thieves. Christ on the Cross performed the sacrifice of redemption for the
whole world. But what brought those crucified with Him to these crosses? Their
crimes — after all, they were thieves.

What made them thieves? There was a time when they were innocent children and
maybe even played together. This was the bright time of childhood. And later,
they felt, as each of us does, two opposing forces influencing them: a good one
and a bad one. And their will had to yield to either one or the other side. In
the beginning they wavered, but later on, because the evil appeared more
alluring, they began more and mc/e often to consent to the evil. At first,
conscience reproached them, but later it became hardened and stopped tormenting
them. And then, without a backward glance, they completely took the side of
evil. First, in the realm of will and feelings, and later they fell into open
crimes which brought them to these crosses, to death sentences. And here they
were both dying. Not only their hours, but even their minutes were numbered. And
between them the Lord was dying on His Cross. One of the hanging criminals
reviled Him. But the other, on the contrary, silenced the abusive one and said
to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy kingdom. And Jesus said
unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise” (Lk.
23:42-43).

Christ died first and then the two thieves. On the face of the one who reviled
the Lord was imprinted the grimace of blasphemy, and only the laugh of
Mephistopheles rent the air above his cross. This laughter was terrible and
triumphant. Yes, this was the final victory of the power of evil over this soul.
But above the cross of the repentant thief was a triumphant peace and a kind of
joyous radiance. And at this time, his soul, bright and pure, washed by
sufferings and repentance, entered Paradise. With joy and wonder the orders of
angels looked on this first soul entering Paradise, this soul of the first saint
of the New Testament, washed with the Blood of Christ — the soul of a thief.

Now we are gathered together here in church before the Cross of Christ. In the
eyes of human judgment we are not law-breakers or criminals. But are we as
well-off before the Judgment of God? No. All of us have broken and are breaking
the commandments of God. And if this is so, it means we are law-breakers. If
until now we have not committed visible crimes, this is only because the Grace
of God and our Guardian Angels have not let us. But if we were left to
ourselves, God alone and our conscience know what might happen to us. And what
still may happen if God abandons us. Let us honestly examine our conscience; let
us ask it, and it will answer that according to the Judgment of God, we are no
better than the thief, and maybe even worse. His sufferings on the cross alone
could redeem so much. And we, with what can we redeem ourselves? He was a wise
thief, but we… we live carelessly and think that we are going to live on and
on. But our years, months, weeks, and maybe days and even hours are numbered.
And also, will we have in the last moment that repentance which he had? What if
suddenly another state of mind arises, opposite to it? May the Lord keep us from
this!

Right now, as we approach and kiss the Cross, let us say with the wise thief,
“Lord, remember me in Thy kingdom!” We may not have another minute. So let us
use this minute which the Lord gives us: “Thy Cross, O Lord, we venerate and Thy
Holy Resurrection we glorify.”

Gheorghe Vanau