Luke 23:35-43

1. Today's feast puts before us Jesus as a person who never used power for his own selfish advantage. Who have you known who used power for the benefit of others rather than for their own self-interest? When have you used power in this way?

2. The power of God is shown in an unexpected way in the Crucifixion; not in a wonderful display of spectacular dominance, but in Jesus sharing our human weakness. When has the honesty of another sharing his/her human vulnerability with you had a powerful effect? When has your honesty in that way had a positive effect on another?

3. Jesus is an example of someone who is apparently helpless. In human terms, he was powerless. It was his trust in the love of God for him that helped him through. It was only later, with the hindsight of the resurrection, that the moment of helplessness could be seen as one in which the power of God was present. Have you had experiences on which you can look back now and see that the power of God was at work in your moments of helplessness?

4. We may also identify with the good thief, reaching out in support of the innocent Jesus. Who has reached out to you when you experienced unfair treatment? To whom have you reached out in that way?

5. The scene also puts before us the liberating power of forgiveness. The forgiveness of Jesus brought new life to the criminal hanging on the cross with him. When have you found that forgiveness given, or received, was a source of new life for yourself or for others?