In today’s Gospel, we find ourselves at the foot of the Cross – an unusual place to proclaim a king. There is no throne here, no crown of gold, no cheering crowds. Instead, there is a battered man hanging between two criminals. And yet this is precisely where the Church invites us to recognise the true kingship of Christ. The leaders mock Him. The soldiers ridicule Him. Even one of the criminals joins in the taunts: “If you are the Christ, save yourself.” The world cannot fathom a king who refuses to come down from the cross. But Jesus shows us that true authority does not dominate; it sacrifices. True power is not exercised through force, but through love poured out to the very end. Then, in the midst of the scorn, another voice breaks through – the good thief. He has nothing left to offer God: no good deeds, no reputation, no future. Only a humble, honest heart. He simply says, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And Jesus responds with one of the most tender promises in all of Scripture:

“Today you will be with me in Paradise.” This moment reveals the heart of our King. Jesus reigns not from a place of earthly strength, but from the cross – where He opens His kingdom to sinners, the broken, the forgotten, the lost. He is a King who remembers us when we feel unworthy, who welcomes us when we feel far from God, who gives hope when everything seems lost. The good thief teaches us the simplest and deepest prayer of all: “Jesus, remember me.” It is a prayer for every season of life: in suffering, in doubt, in gratitude, in repentance. It is a prayer we whisper when words fail, when pain is heavy, when we do not know what to say to God. This Gospel also reminds us that it is never too late for grace. The thief meets Jesus at the very end of his life – and still, one sincere moment of trust opens the gates of heaven. God’s mercy is greater than our past, our failures, our fears.

As we honour Christ the King, we are challenged to ask:

What kind of king do we seek? A king who gives us comfort without sacrifice? Or the King who calls us to love as He loves, to forgive as He forgives, and to trust even when we do not understand? At the foot of the cross, we discover that Jesus’ kingdom is built not on power, but on mercy; not on fear, but on compassion; not on dominance, but on self-giving love. And so today, let our prayer echo the good thief’s: “Jesus, remember me.” And may we hear, in the quiet of our hearts, the promise of the King who reigns from the cross: “You will be with me. You belong to Me. My mercy is for you.”