Jesus Makes Man Worthy of His Kingdom
[Lord Jesus] stimulate me to reflect that I, more than anyone else, am unworthy of Paradise. (OOCC, X, p. 411; STA, 469)
In the parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin and the lost son, Jesus taught that there would be great joy in heaven over a sinner who repented, in comparison with the ninety-nine that did not stray. From the cross just before his death, he practiced what he had been preaching in his public ministry. Even in his dying moments, the heart of Jesus could not help but be open to reach out to the repentant thief. The thief acknowledged his unworthiness to belong to the Kingdom of God, while asking Jesus to remember him when Jesus came into his Kingdom. St. Vincent Pallotti was convinced that he was unworthy of the Kingdom of God as he was the most miserable of all creatures. He often identified himself with biblical persons such as Peter, Paul, Mary Magdalene, the good thief and the like, who had failed Jesus through their sinful deeds, but who were made worthy of the Kingdom of God by the merciful love of Jesus. He constantly instilled in himself his unworthiness for attaining paradise, for then the mercy of God could be operative in him and make him worthy of the Kingdom of God.
Do I recognize my unworthiness to belong to the Kingdom of God? Do I believe in the mercy of God that can destroy my unworthiness and make me belong to God’s Kingdom? Do I make an appeal of my desire to be with Jesus in paradise, like the good thief?
Then he [the good thief] said, “Jesus remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” He replied to him, “Amen, I say to you today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Lk. 23: 42-43)