Growing up in my family - there was nothing that I liked better than the holidays - Uncle Wally Boul - Fr. Wally - would come by the house - dinner - usually take a quick nap - and then, the "remembering session" would begin. Stories from the depression, from the war, from the growing up years, from his first parish would tumble out, one after the other - in a flood of blessedness and laughter and even tears. It was such a simple yet profound experience. Remembering!

When Uncle Wally remembered, you were caught up in his world, his way of viewing it and experience of living it. And isn't that what remembering does? We get caught up in the world of the other. We begin experience life as they experience it, to see it as they see it.

Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. It is such a simple prayer. Whispered by a dying thief, whether out of desperation or hope, we'll never know. And yet, it is at the heart of the kingship of Jesus. It is the most important act of a king - to remember! In the scriptures God is almost always the subject of remembering. In the Hebrew Testament, God is always the first to remember. He remembers Noah as he spares creation. He remembers Abraham and gives him a land. He remembers Hannah as he grants her prayer in giving her Samuel. He remembers his covenant, his promises, his kindness, his mercy; he remembers the sins of the people, but also our love, our prayers, and our generosity. The psalmist prays: "Remember your people, O Lord."

Remember -is predominately the act of God toward us. Whispered by the lips of the thief, it becomes an appeal to the living and present God. It is an act of trust in the one being asked that he desires and has the power to save. Jesus - remember me. Have the very mercy, compassion and saving will of God himself.

The response - even greater than the petition -

"Today" - is the moment of salvation. In Luke's gospel - there have been many of those 'today moments'. "Today in the city of David is born for you a savior, who is Christ, the Lord." In the synagogue, he proclaims, "Today, this scripture passage is fulfilled in your midst." To Zacchaeus he says: "Salvation has come today to your whole household."

And Jesus says that to you and I this morning - if we let him. Today you will be with me in paradise. For when we remember how Jesus was able to forgive on the cross, we begin to live just a bit closer to the kingdom and paradise he promise. And as we remember how Jesus reached out to those in need, we find our own hearts beginning to do that, and suddenly, we are closer to paradise than the moment before. And so it goes. Re-membering - remaking our hearts like unto Jesus' heart happens, because the One whom we remember, remembers us.

Jesus - remember me - not with the usual things we associate with kingship - power, glory, wealth, control - but with the attitudes and actions of the kingdom - mercy, forgiveness, grace, salvation. Let me live where you live - out of these traits, and not my own. Ah, then we will know salvation, because we will be with him...

Two ways to live this out this week. Let the prayer of the thief be your prayer this week. Jesus - remember me. From whatever place of need or sorrow or struggle or cross - call out to the one who has the power to save you. Remembering is the act of God toward us. And the most important act of a king. Let it be no less than our act toward our fellow members of the kingdom. So, when the brother knocks - open; when the sister has need, respond. When ever, wherever the kingdom needs to be experienced - REMEMBER - Remember the one upon the cross who acted with God's mercy, and do the same. And then, we will remember each other into the Kingdom.

AMEN