On the church's calendar, this is the last week of the year. It is called Christ the King. The day points to the culmination of history. On that last day, every knee shall bow. Death will be defeated. God will raise up God's people and the whole world will rejoice in the coming of God's reign.
The gospel reading for the day, Luke 23:33-43, tells of a conversation Jesus had with two convicted criminals as all three were hanging on crosses. The conversation is rich in nuance and meaning. The Lord asks that his tormentors be forgiven. One of the criminals repents and seeks forgiveness. The other remains unrepentant, even recalcitrant. Appropriate to Christ the King Sunday, there is an element of gazing toward the future when the repentant criminal says, "Jesus, remember me, when you come int…