I read this story the other day and it seemed to me to come up short. It's about the slow conversion and baptism of Clovis I, the King of France. A really significant event for the Western world. Listen to it:

In 496 Remigius was Bishop of Reims. He became known as the "Apostle of the Franks." He was about to convert the king of France to Christianity. What was about to happen was significant. It turned all of Europe to Christianity. But there was a problem. His discipleship was a slow transformation. King Clovis was seeing the crucifixion in military terms. On first hearing the account of the Passion, Clovis grumbled: “If my army had been there, he’d never have been crucified!”

Somewhat later, a second reading provoked a different observation and a softening of the heart: “If I had been there, I’d have stayed with his poor mother!”

It is said that the bishop knew he was ready for the waters of baptism when the Passion was read in church a third time, and the king remarked, “If I had been there, I’d have climbed up on the cross next to him.”

Now, the slow conversion in understanding our Lord's Passion went form 1) I would have defended Christ - a military approach 2) I would have tended to his mother - a sympathetic approach 3) I would have climbed on the cross next to him - empathy. 

Might I suggest that empathy is not enough. The king of France was still not ready. The King needed to take one more step. The forth step would be for the king to look at the cross in all it's tragedy and declare: 4) I would have crucified him as well. Now! You are ready for baptism!

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Note: Overall the facts in this story are accurate but the slow transformation of the King's understanding may have some embellishment to it.